
BED 




See page 136. 



"Hercules and the Centaur. 



I ooo 

Ci assica i Ch aracters 

Briefly Described 



BEING 

A CONCISE ACCOUNT 
OF EVERY NAME OP ANY IMPORTANCE 
CONNECTED WITH CLASSICAL HISTORY 



WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 

IVORY FRANKLIN FRISBEE, PH. D. 

Author of "Frisbee's New -Begiiiners'* Greek Book" 
"Greek Prose Composition" etc. 



COPYRIGHT, igoi, BY HINDS & NOBLE 



HINDS & NOBLE, Publishers 
4-5-6-12-13-14 Cooper Institute, New York City 
School Books of All Publishers at One Store 



THE LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS, 
Two Copies Received 

MAY. 14 1901 

COPYfflGHT ENTRY 

CLASS O^XXc. No. 

6972- 

COPY 3. 



Of Interest to You 



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INTRODUCTION. 



The study of the classics is to-day far 
more comprehensive in its scope, far broader 
in its purpose, than it ever was before. 
The classical teacher feels that he must, in 
studying any side of his subject, avail him- 
self of every possible aid that can be drawn 
from the investigations of his fellow-spe- 
cialists, in order to give interest and life to 
his instruction. 

The younger student of the classics is 
also becoming more and more alive to the 
true significance of his work, as with every 
year more is required of him in the way of 
special equipment and general information. 
Even the undergraduate classical courses 
in our universities and colleges now touch 
upon many sides of study, and are no 
longer restricted to the mere reading of 
ancient authors and the formal study of 



iv 



INTRODUCTION. 



their language. An early familiarity with 
the conditions of ancient life is expected 
and required. 

It is evident, therefore, that to aid the 
student in his work, some manual is needed 
that shall give him in simple and intelligible 
form the most important facts condensed 
and summarized, and set forth not as iso- 
lated bits of information, but in their nec- 
essary connection with one another. 

The massing of this material in a single 
volume and under a single alphabetical 
arrangement would in itself be an immense 
gain in convenience to the student, who 
has heretofore been obliged to refer to half 
a dozen dictionaries for the elucidation of the 
questions that arise in his daily work, but the 
advantage of such a consolidation extends far 
beyond any mere question of convenience. 

In compiling this book no attempt has 
been made to usurp the field of the larger 
dictionaries, which so abound in multi- 
plicity of details as to confuse and harass 
the average pupil, but rather to meet the 
need for a brief, comprehensive classical 



INTRODUCTION. 



V 



dictionary. Only the most important char- 
acters have been selected, and preference 
has been given to those which the classical 
student will most likely meet in his reading. 

The greatest care has been taken to ex- 
clude everything offensive, either in lan- 
guage or detail; thus making the book 
especially suitable to the use of boys and 
girls, both at school and in college. Occa- 
sionally extracts from Shakespeare, Byron, 
Scott, Pope, Macaulay, Dryden, and others 
have been inserted, with a view to encour- 
aging the reader to become more familiar 
with the works of these well-known writers. 

The limited space has made it necessary 
to be as concise as possible. All the facts, 
which have been taken from the most 
accredited authorities, are clearly pre- 
sented in simple language; thus the funda- 
mental characteristics of persons and places 
are given in a form in which they most 
frequently appear in classical literature. 
By this method the pupil obtains or acquires 
at once a definite notion of these characters, 
and so becomes fitted to understand most 



vi 



INTRODUCTION. 



fully, not only the characters themselves as 
they appear in his subsequent reading, but 
also whatever changes have been made in 
their commonly accepted representations. 

A number of mythological names have 
been inserted, because it frequently hap- 
pens that reference is made to them. 
Those desiring fuller information concern- 
ing the myths of olden time should consult 
iooo Mythological Characters, Briefly De- 
scribed, a companion volume to this book. 

It is hoped that this little book will help 
promote the intelligent and comprehensive 
study of the classics, and will teach the 
young student that ancient history is some- 
thing more than a mere record of dates and 
chronicle of wars and crimes, and that it 
will also be of value to the reader who 
desires to become familiar with those classi- 
cal allusions which one constantly encoun- 
ters in poetry, song, painting, sculpture, in the 
pulpit, on the platform, in the drama, and in 
the conversation of the educated and refined. 

Ivory Franklin Frisbee. 

May ist, 1901. 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 
BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



Abas. Twelfth king of Argos, son of Lynceus 
and Hypermnestra, grandson of Danaus, and 
father of Acrisius and Proetus. When he 
informed his father of the death of Danaus, 
he was rewarded with the shield of his grand- 
father, which was sacred to Hera (Juno). 
This shield performed various marvels, and 
the mere sight of it could reduce a revolted 
people to submission. 

Abdera. A city of Thrace, at the mouth of the 
Nestus. Though Abdera was the birthplace 
of some famous men, among them Anaxar- 
chus, Democritus, and Protagoras, yet the 
citizens of this place in general had such a 
reputation for stupidity that Cicero styles 
Rome, on account of the stupidity of the 
Senators, another Abdera (Ep. ad Att. 4, 
16); and Juvenal calls Abdera itself "the 
native land of blockheads." Under the Ro- 
mans Abdera became a free city, and con- 
tinued so as late as the time of Pliny. 

Absyrtus. Son of Aetes, king of Colchis air" 1 



2 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



brother of Medea. According to the common 
account he accompanied Medea in her night 
with Jason from Colchis, but was murdered 
by his sister and his body cut in pieces and 
scattered over the water in order that Aetes 
might be delayed in gathering up the limbs 
of his murdered son. 
Abydos. An ancient city of Mysia, in Asia Minor, 
founded by the Thracians. Between this 
point and the city of Sestos, Xerxes built a 
bridge of boats across the Hellespont, and 
here reviewed his vast hosts preparatory to 
invading Greece. Abydos, too, is famous as 
being the scene of the loves of Hero and 
Leander. Hero, a beautiful maiden dedi- 
cated to the service of Venus, was loved by 
the youth Leander, who nightly swam across 
the Hellespont to pay his vows to the fair 
priestess of Venus. One stormy night, while 
attempting his accustomed task, the daring 
youth was drowned. In the morning, Hero 
found his lifeless body on the shore and in 
her despair cast herself into the sea. The 
story has been treated by many ancient poets 
and some modern ones, among them Byron, 
who himself swam the Hellespont at the same 
point where Leander was supposed to have 
done so to prove that the task was not impos- 
sible. Byron, in the " Bride of Abydos," 
thus refers to the death of Leander: 

14 The winds are high on Helle's wave 
As on that night of stormy water," etc. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



3 



Academia. A public garden or grove in the sub- 
urbs of Athens, about six stadia from the 
city, named, according to Pausanias, from 
Academus, who left it to the citizens for gym- 
nastics. Here Plato opened his school of 
philosophy, and hence arose the Academic 
sect, and the name Academy has descended 
even to our own times. 

Acastus. Son of Pelias, king of Iolcus, one of 
the Argonauts and the Calydonian hunters. 

Acca Laurentia or Larentia. The wife of the 
shepherd Faustulus and the nurse of Romu- 
lus and Remus, after they had been taken 
from the she-wolf. She seems to be con- 
nected with the worship of the Lares, from 
which her name Larentia is probably derived. 

Acerbas. A priest of Hercules at Tyre, who mar- 
ried Dido, the sister of Pygmalion. When 
Acerbas was murdered by Pygmalion for his 
riches, Dido fled from Phoenicia to Africa and 
founded the city of Carthage. Vergil calls 
the husband of Dido, Sichalus, which Servius, 
in his Commentary on Vergil, says is a modi- 
fied form of Sicharbes. 

Achaemenides. A branch of the Persian tribe of 
of Pasargada, named from Achaemenes, the 
founder of the line, and from whom the Per- 
sian kings, according to Herodotus, were de- 
scended. 

Achates. A friend of Aeneas, who accompanied 
that hero in all his wanderings, as described 
by Vergil, and whose fidelity was so exem- 



4 lOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



plary that Fidus Achates has passed into a 
proverb. 

Achelous. A river of Epirus, which rises in Mt. 
Pindos and, flowing between Acarnania and 
Aetolia, empties into the Gulf of Corinth. 
Achelous is also the name of the deity of the 
river Achelous, who is said to have contended 
with Hercules for the hand of Deianira, but, 
although he changed himself into the form of 
a bull, he was defeated by the hero in the 
contest and deprived of one of his horns, 
which, however, he recovered by giving up 
the horn of Amalthea. The Achelous was 
reverenced by the ancients as a stream of 
great antiquity and was regarded as the gen- 
eral representative of all fresh waters, so that 
we find in Vergil the expression Acheloia 
pocula, meaning water in general. 

Acheron. The name of several rivers, the most 
famous being that in the lower world which 
surrounded the domains of Pluto, and across 
which all souls had to pass before appear- 
ing at the throne of Pluto. Acheron is also 
used to designate the whole of the lower 
world. 

Achilleis. A poem by Statius, having for its sub- * 
ject the life and adventures of Achilles. 

Achilles. The son of Peleus, king of Phthiotis, in 
Thessaly, and the Nereid Thetis. On ac- 
count of a prophecy of Calchas that Troy could 
never be taken without Achilles' assistance 
he was sent by his mother at an early age to 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



5 



the court of Lycomedes, where he lived some 
time disguised in female attire. Ulysses, 
however, visited Lycomedes in the garb of a 
traveling merchant and offered for sale vari- 
ous articles of female attire, mingling among 
them some pieces of armor. Achilles dis- 
closed his sex by eagerly seizing the arms, 
and then accompanied Ulysses to the Trojan 
war. In the last year of the war, Achilles, 
who was the greatest hero on the side of the 
Greeks, being deprived by Agamemnon of his 
favorite Briseis, retired enraged to his tent 
and refused any longer to assist the Greeks. 
Zeus, at the request of Thetis, granted that 
the Greeks should surfer defeat at the hands 
of the Trojans until the insult offered to 
Achilles had been atoned for. Patroclus, his 
dearest friend, who wore Achilles' own armor, 
was killed, and the armor was taken by 
Hector. Then Achilles, in his grief for the 
loss of his friend, forgot his anger, and, clad 
in a new suit of armor made for him by Vulcan 
at the request of Thetis, went forth once more 
to battle with the Greeks and defeated the 
Trojans and killed Hector, whose corpse he 
fastened to his chariot and dragged around 
the walls of Troy under the eyes of Priam 
and all the Trojans. Achilles was afterward 
killed in the battle at the Schaean Gate ; 
though a later tradition maintains that he 
was killed by Paris with a poisoned arrow 
which wounded him in the heel, the only part 



6 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

of him which remained vulnerable after his 
mother Thetis had dipped him in the river 
Styx. 

Acidalia. A surname of Venus, from the well 
Acidalius near Orchomenos, where she used 
to bathe with the Graces. 

Acmonides. One of the three Cyclopes in Ovid, 
the same as Pyracmon in Vergil, and as 
Arges in other accounts. 

Acrisius. Son of Abas, king of Argos, grandson 
of Lynceus, and great-grandson of Danaus. 
An oracle had declared that Danae, the 
daughter of Acrisius, would give birth to a 
son who would kill his grandfather. For 
this reason he kept Danae shut up in a sub- 
terraneous apartment, or in a brazen tower. 
But here she became the mother of Perseus, 
by Zeus (Jupiter), who visited her in a shower 
of gold. Acrisius ordered mother and child 
to be exposed on the sea in a chest ; but the 
chest floated towards the island of Seriphus, 
where both were rescued by Dictys. 

Actaeon. A famous huntsman, the son of Aris- 
taeus and Autonoe, the daughter of Cadmus. 
On one occasion he inadvertently beheld 
Diana and her nymphs bathing in a pool in 
the woods, and for this offense was changed 
by the goddess into a stag, and was hunted 
down and killed by his own hounds. 

Acte. A freed woman of Asiatic origin. She 
was introduced into the household of Nero by 
Seneca, according to Tacitus (Ann. 14, 2), in 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



7 



order to counteract the influence of Agrip- 
pina. 

Actium. A town and promontory of Epirus, fa- 
mous for the victory which Augustus gained 
over the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra. 

Adherbal, Son of Micipsa and grandson of Mesi- 
nissa, was besieged in Citra, and put to death 
by Jugurtha, after vainly imploring the aid 
of Rome, b. c. 112. 

Admetus. Son of Pheres, king of Pherae, in 
Thessaly. He married Theone, daughter of 
Thestor, and after her death, Alcestis, daugh- 
ter of Pelias. Apollo, being banished from the 
sky for one year, tended the flocks of Ad- 
metus. 

Adonis. Son of Cinyras and Myrrha, was a fa- 
vorite of Venus. He was killed while hunting 
a wild boar, and, according to Ovid, his blood 
produced the anemone. Venus was incon- 
solable at his loss, and at last obtained from 
Proserpina that Adonis should spend six 
months on earth with her and six months 
among the shades. His death and return to 
the earth were celebrated in annual festivals 
(Adonza) at Alexandria, Athens, and other 
places. 

Adrastus. Son of Talaus and Lysimache, was 
king of Argos. He received Polynices, when 
the latter had been expelled from his native 
Thebes by his brother Eteocles, and gave 
him his daughter Argia in marriage. He 
then collected an army, with the assistance of 



8 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



six other heroes— Polynices, Tydeus, Am- 
phiaraus, Capaneus, Hippomedon, and Par- 
thenopaeus — and marched against Thebes, in 
order to drive out Eteocles, and restore the 
kingdom to Polynices. The expedition, how- 
ever, ended as disastrously as Amphiaraus 
had predicted, and all the heroes were killed, 
except Adrastus, who escaped through the 
swiftness of his horse, Arion. This expedi- 
tion was made the subject of a drama, by 
Aeschylus, "The Seven against Thebes." 
Ten years later Adrastus induced the six 
sons of the heroes who had fallen in the war 
to make a new attack upon Thebes. This 
war was known as the war of the Epigo- 
nois. It was entirely successful, and Thebes 
was taken and razed to the ground. Aegia- 
leus, the son of Adrastus, was killed 
in this war, and Adrastus is said to have 
died of a broken heart, on his return to 
Argos. 

Aeacus. Son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Aegina, a 
daughter of the river-god Asopus, was born 
in the island of Aegina, which derived its 
name from his mother. Aeacus was re- 
nowned in all Greece for his justice and 
piety, and after his death became one of the 
three judges in Hades. 

Aediles. Roman magistrates, who had the 
charge of all buildings, baths, and aqueducts, 
and examined weights and measures. The 
office of an Aedile was honorable, and the 




See page 18. 

Ajax Defying the Lightning. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



9 



primary step to a more distinguished position 
in the State. 

Aedon. Daughter of Pandareus of Ephesus, 
wife of Zethus, king of Thebes, and mother 
of Itylus. Envious of Niobe, the wife of her 
brother Amphion, who had six sons and six 
daughters, she resolved to kill the eldest of 
Niobe's sons, but by mistake slew her own 
son Itylus. Zeus (Jupiter) relieved her grief 
by changing her into a nightingale, whose 
melancholy tunes are represented as Aedon's 
lamentations for her child. 

Aedui or Hedui. One of the most powerful peo- 
ple in Gaul, lived between the Liger {Loire) 
and the Arar (Saone). They were the first 
Gallic people who made an alliance with 
the Romans, by whom they were called 
" brothers and relations." 

Aegaeum Mare. The part of the Mediterranean 
sea now called the Archipelago. 

Aegaleos. A mountain in Attica opposite Sala- 
mis, from which Xerxes saw the defeat of his 
fleet, b. c. 480. 

Aegates. The Goat Islands, were three islands 
off the west coast of Sicily, between Drepa- 
num and Lilybaeum, near which the Romans 
gained a naval victory over the Cartha- 
ginians, and thus brought the first Punic war 
to an end, b. c. 241 . The islands were Aegusa 
or Capraria, Phorbantia, and Hiera. 

Aegeria or Egeria. One of the Camenae in 
Roman mythology, from whom Numa re- 



IO IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



ceived his instructions respecting the forms 
of worship which he introduced. The grove 
in which the king had his interviews with 
the goddess, and in which a well gushed 
forth from a dark recess, was dedicated by 
him to the Camenae. 

Aegeus. King of Athens, son of Pandion. Being 
desirous of having children, he went to con- 
sult the oracle, and on his return stopped at 
the court of Pittheus, king of Troezene, who 
gave him his daughter Aethra in marriage. 
He directed her, if she had a son, to send him 
to Athens as soon as he could lift a stone un- 
der which he had concealed his sword. 
Aethra became mother of Theseus, whom she 
sent to Athens with his father's sword. 
When Theseus came to Athens, Medea, 
the wife of Aegeus, attempted to poison him, 
but he escaped ; and upon showing Aegeus 
the sword, discovered himself to be his son. 
When Theseus returned from Crete, after the 
killing of the Minotaur, he omitted to hoist 
up white sails, as he had agreed with Aegeus, 
in case he was successful, and at sight of 
black sails Aegeus, concluding that his son 
was dead, threw himself into the sea, which, 
as some suppose, has since been called the 
Aegean Sea. Aegeus died b. c. 1235. 

Aegis. The shield of Jupiter. He gave it to Pal- 
las, who placed Medusa's head on it, which 
turned into stones all those who gazed at it. 

Aegyptus. Son of Belus, and brother to Danaus, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



gave his fifty sons in marriage to the fifty 
daughters of his brother. Danaus, who had 
established himself at Argos, and was jealous 
of his brother, obliged all his daughters to 
murder their husbands on the first night of 
their nuptials. This was done, Hypermnes- 
tra alone sparing her husband, Lynceus. 
The poet Horace, in one of his odes, refers to 
Hypermnestra, whom he calls Splendide 
mendax. 

Aegyptus {Egypt). A country in the northeast 
corner of Africa, bounded on the north by the 
Mediterranean, on the east by Palestine, 
Arabia Petraea, and the Red Sea, on the 
south by Aethiopia, the division between the 
two countries being at the First or Little 
Cataract of the Nile, close to Syene, and on 
the west by the Great Libyan Desert. 

Aelianus Claudius. A Roman Sophist of Prae- 
neste in the reign of Adrian. He taught 
rhetoric at Rome. He wrote treatises on an- 
imals in seventeen books, and on various 
other subjects in fourteen books. Aelian died 
at the age of sixty, a. d. 140. 

Aemilia. The third daughter of L. Aemilius 
Paulus, who fell in the battle of Cannae, was 
the wife of Scipio Africanus I. and the 
mother of the celebrated Cornelia, the 
mother of the Gracchi. 

Aeneas. A Trojan prince, son of Anchises and 
Venus. He married Creusa, the daughter of 
Priam, and they had a son named Ascanius. 



12 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

During the Trojan war Aeneas behaved with 
great valor in defense of Troy. When the 
city was in flames he is said to have carried 
away his father Anchises on his shoulders, 
leading his son Ascanius by the hand, his 
wife following them. Subsequently he built 
a fleet of twenty ships, with which he set sail 
in quest of a settlement. He was driven on 
the coasts of Africa, and was kindly received 
by Dido, Queen of Carthage, who became 
enamored with him ; but he left Carthage by 
the order of the gods. He has been praised 
for his submission to the will of the gods ; 
whence the term Pius is generally appended 
to his name. 

Aeneis. The Aeneid, an epic poem by Vergil, 
the great merit of which is well known. The 
Aeneid is one of the three greatest epic poems 
in the world. 

Aeolus. The ruler of storms and winds, was the 
son of Hippotas. He reigned over Aeolia. 
He was the inventor of sails, and a great as- 
tronomer, from which the poets have called 
him the god of wind. 

Aerope. Daughter of Catreus, king of Crete, 
and wife of Plisthenes, the son of Atreus, by 
whom she became the mother of Agamemnon 
and Menelaus. 

Aesacus. Son of Priam and Alexirrhoe, fell in 
love with Hesperia, the daughter of Cebren, 
and while he was pursuing her she was 
stung by a viper and died. Aesacus in his 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



13 



grief threw himself into the sea, and was 
changed by Thetis into an aquatic bird. 

Aeschines. An Athenian orator who lived about 
342 b. c, and distinguished himself by his 
rivalship with Demosthenes. 

Aeschylus. A poet of Athens, son of Euphorion. 
He was in the Athenian army at the battles of 
Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea; but his most 
solid fame rests on his writings. He wrote 
ninety tragedies, forty of which were re- 
warded with a public prize. He was killed 
by the fall of a tortoise, dropped from the 
beak of an eagle on his head, b. c. 456. 

Aesculapius. Son of Apollo and Coronis, or as 
some say of Apollo and Larissa, daughter of 
Phlegias, was the god of medicine. He mar- 
ried Epione and they had two sons, famous 
for their skill in medicine, Machaon and Po- 
dalirus ; of their four daughters, Hygeia, 
goddess of health, is the most celebrated. 

Aeson. Son of Cretheus, was born at the same 
birth as Pelias. He succeeded his father in 
the kingdom of Iolchos, but was soon exiled 
by his brother. He married Alcimeda, by 
whom he had Jason, whose education he en- 
trusted to Chiron. When Jason reached man- 
hood he demanded his father's kingdom from 
his uncle, who gave him evasive answers, and 
persuaded him to go in quest of the Golden 
Fleece. On his return Jason found his father 
very infirm, and at his request Medea drew 
the blood from Aeson's veins and refilled 



14 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



them with the juice of certain herbs, which 
restored the old man to the vigor of youth. 

Aesopus. A Phrygian philosopher who, origi- 
nally a slave, procured his liberty by his ge- 
nius. He dedicated his fables to his patron, 
Croesus. The fables which we have now un- 
der his name doubtless contain also fables 
and apologues of wits before and after the 
age of Aesop. 

Aethra. Daughter of Pittheus of Troezen, and 
mother of Theseus by Aegeus. She after- 
wards lived in Attica, from whence she was 
carried off to Lacedaemon by Castor and 
Pollux, and became a slave of Helen, with 
whom she was taken to Troy. 

Aetna. A volcanic mountain in the northeast 
of Sicily between Tauromenium and Catana. 
It is said to have derived its name from 
Aetna, a Sicilian nymph, a daughter of 
Heaven and Earth, 

Aetolia. A division of Greece, was bounded on 
the west by Acarnania, from which it was 
separated by the river Achelous, on the north 
by Epirus and Thessaly, on the east by the 
Ozolian Locrians, and on the south by the 
entrance to the Corinthian gulf. 

Afranius, L. A Roman comic poet, flourished 
about b. c. 100. His comedies depicted 
Roman life with such accuracy that he is 
classed with Menander. Only a few frag- 
ments of them are preserved. 

Agamedes. Commonly called son of Erginus, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



king of Orchomenus, and brother of Tro- 
phonius. Agamedes and Trophonius dis- 
tinguished themselves as architects. They 
built a temple of Apollo at Delphi, and a 
treasury of Hyrieus, king of Hyria, in 
Boeotia. In the construction of the latter, 
they contrived to place a stone in such a 
manner that it could be taken away outside 
without anybody perceiving it. They now 
constantly robbed the treasury ; and the 
king, seeing that locks and seals were unin- 
jured, while his treasures were constantly 
decreasing, set traps to catch the thief. 
Agamedes was thus caught, and Trophonius 
beheaded him in order to avert the discovery. 
After this, Trophonius was immediately 
swallowed up by the earth in the grove of 
Lebadea. Here he was worshipped as a 
hero, and had a celebrated oracle. 

Agamemnon. King of Mycenae and Argos, was 
brother to Menelaus, and son of Plisthenes, the 
son of Atreus. He married Clytemnestra, 
and Menelaus married Helen ; both were 
daughters of Tyndarus, king of Sparta. 
When Helen eloped with Paris, Agamemnon 
was elected commander-in-chief of the Gre- 
cian forces invading Troy. 

Agesilaus. Of the family of the Proclidae, son 
of Archidamus, king of Sparta, whom he suc- 
ceeded. He made war against Artaxerxes, 
king of Persia, with success, but in the midst 
of his conquests he was called home to oppose 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



the Athenians and Boeotians. He passed 
over in thirty days that tract of country 
which had taken Xerxes a whole year to 
traverse. He defeated his enemies at Coro- 
nea, but sickness interfered with his con- 
quests, and the Spartans were beaten in every 
engagement till he again appeared at their 
head. He died b. c. 362. 

Agricola, Cn. Julius. Born June 13, a. d. 37, at 
Forum Julii (Frejtis, in Provence), was the 
son of Julius Graecinus. He received a care- 
ful education. In 78 he received the govern- 
ment of Britain, which he held for seven 
years, during which time he subdued the 
whole of the country with the exception of 
the highlands of Caledonia, and by his wise 
administration introduced among the inhabi- 
tants the language and civilization of Rome. 
His character is drawn in the brightest 
colors by his son-in-law Tacitus, whose Life 
of Agricola has come down to us. 

Agrippa, Herodes. Called Agrippa the Great, 
son of Aristobulus and Berenice, and grand- 
son of Herod the Great. He was educated 
at Rome, and lived on intimate terms with 
the future emperors Caligula and Claudius. 
Caligula gave him the tetrarchies of Abilene, 
Batanaea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis ; and 
Claudius annexed Judaea and Samaria to his 
dominions. His government was exceeding 
popular among the Jews. It was probably 
to increase his popularity with the Jews that 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



17 



he caused the apostle James to be be- 
headed, and Peter to be cast into prison, 
a. d. 44, 

Agrippa, M. Vipsanius. A celebrated Roman 
who obtained a victory over S. Pompey, and 
favored the cause of Augustus at the battles 
of Actium and Philippi, where he behaved 
with great valor. In his expeditions in Gaul 
and Germany he obtained several victories, 
but refused the honor of a triumph, arid 
turned his attention to the embellishment of 
Rome and the raising of magnificent build- 
ings, among them the Pantheon. Augustus 
gave him his daughter Julia in marriage. He 
died universally lamented, at Rome, aged 
fifty-one, b. c. 12. 

Agrippa. A son of Aristobulus, grandson of the 
great Herod. He was popular with the Jews, 
and it is said that while they were flattering 
him with the appellation of god he was struck 
with death, a. d. 43. His son of the same 
name was with Titus at the siege of Jerusa- 
lem, and died a. d. 94. It was before him 
that St. Paul pleaded. There were a number 
of others of the same name, but of less celeb- 
rity. 

Agrippina. Daughter of M. Vipsanius Agrippa 
and of Julia, the daughter of Augustus, mar- 
ried Germanicus, by whom she had nine chil- 
dren, among whom were the emperor Calig- 
ula, and Agrippina, the mother of Nero. 
She was distinguished for her virtues and 



i8 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



heroism, and shared all the dangers of her 
husband's campaigns. 

Ajax. Son of Telamon and Periboea, or Eriboea, 
was one of the bravest of the Greeks in the 
Trojan War. . After the death of Achilles, 
Ajax and Ulysses both claimed the arms of 
the dead hero, which were given to Ulysses. 
Some say that he was killed in battle by 
Paris, but others record that he was murdered 
by Ulysses. Sophocles has written a tragedy 
entitled Ajax. ■ 

Alalcomenae. An ancient town of Boeotia, east 
of Coronea, with a temple of Athena (Min- 
erva), who is said to have been born in the 
town, and who was hence called Alalco- 
meneis. 

Alaricus. A famous king of the Goths who plun- 
dered Rome in the reign of Honorius. He 
was greatly respected for his valor,' and dur- 
ing his reign he kept the Roman empire in 
continual alarm. He died after a reign of 
twelve years, a. d. 410. He was buried in the 
bed of a river which had been turned from its 
course for the reception of his corpse, in order 
that it might be said that no one should tread 
on the earth where he reposed. The circum- 
stance is thus alluded to by one of our own 
poets : 

" But ye the mountain stream shall turn, 
And lay its secret channel bare. 
And hollow, for your sovereign's urn, 
A resting-place for ever there ; 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



19 



u Then bid its everlasting springs 
Flow back upon the king of kings ; 
And never be the secret said 
Until the deep give up its dead." 



Alba Longa. The most ancient town in Latium, 
is said to have been built by Ascanius. 
It was called Longa from its stretching in a 
long line down the Alban Mount towards 
the Alban Lake. It was destroyed by Tullus 
Hostilius, and was never rebuilt ; its inhabi- 
tants were removed to Rome. 

Albinus or Albus, Postumius. The name of a 
patrician family at Rome, many of the mem- 
bers of which held the highest offices of the 
state from the commencement of the republic 
to its downfall. 

Albion. Son of Neptune and Amphitrite, came 
into Britain, where he established a kingdom, 
and introduced astrology and the art of build- 
ing ships. Great Britain is called Albion 
after him. 

Albis {Elbe). One of the great rivers in Ger- 
many, the most easterly which the Romans 
became acquainted with. 

Albula. An ancient name of the river Tiber. 

Alcaeus. A celebrated lyric poet of Mitylene in 
Lesbos,- about 600 years before the Christian 
era. He fled from a battle, and the armor in 
which he left the field was hung up in the 
temple of Minerva as a monument of his 
disgrace. He was enamored of Sappho. 



2Q 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Of his works only a few fragments re- 
main. 

Alcathous. Son of Pelops and Hippodamia, 
obtained as his wife Evaechme, the daughter 
of Megareus, by slaying the Cithaeronian 
lion. 

Alceste or Alcestis. Daughter of Pelias, married 
Admetus. She, with her sisters, put her 
father to death that he might be restored to 
youth and vigor by Medea, who had prom- 
ised to effect this by her enchantments. She, 
however, refused to fulfill her promise, on 
which the sisters fled to Admetus, who mar- 
ried Alceste. 

Alcibiades. An Athenian general, famous for 
his enterprise, versatile genius, and natural 
foibles. He was a disciple of Socrates, whose 
lessons and example checked for a while his 
vicious propensities. In the Peloponnesian 
war he encouraged the Athenians to under- 
take an expedition against Syracuse. He 
died in his forty-sixth year, b. c. 404. 

Alcimede. Daughter of Phylacus and Clymene, 
wife of Aeson, and mother of Jason. 

Alciphron. The most distinguished of the Greek 
epistolary writers, was, perhaps, a contem- 
porary of Lucian, about a. d. 180. The 
letters (113 in number) are written by ficti- 
tious personages, and the language is distin- 
guished by its purity and elegance. 

Alcithoe or Alcathoe. Daughter of Minyas, 
changed, together with her sisters, into bats, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



21 



for refusing to join the other women of 
Boeotiain the worship of Dionysus (Bacchus). 
Alcman. The chief lyric poet of Sparta, is said 
by some to have been the inventor of erotic 
poetry. 

Alcmena. Daughter of Electrion, king of Argos. 
. Her father promised her and his crown to 
Amphitryon if he would revenge the death of 
his sons, who had been killed by the Tele- 
boans. In the absence of Amphitryon, Jupi- 
ter assumed his form and visited Alcmena, 
who, believing the god to be her lover, re- 
ceived him with joy. Amphitryon on his re- 
turn ascertained from the prophet Tiresias 
the deception which had been practiced. 
After the death of Amphitryon, Alcmena 
married Rhadamanthus. Hercules was the 
son of Jupiter and Alcmena. Iphides was 
the son of Amphitryon and Alcmena. 

Alcyone or Halcyone. Daughter of Aeolus, mar- 
ried Ceyx, who was drowned as he was going 
to consult the oracle. The gods apprised 
Alcyone in a dream of her husband's fate, 
and when she found his body washed ashore 
she threw herself into the sea, and she and 
her husband were changed into birds. 

Alecto. One of the Furies. She is represented 
with her head covered with serpents, and 
breathing vengeance, war, and pestilence. 

Alexander. Son of Philip and Olympias, was 
surnamed The Great. He was born b. c. 355, 
on the night on which the famous temple of 



22 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Diana at Ephesus was burnt. This event, 
according to the magicians, was a prognostic 
of his future greatness, as well as the taming 
of Bucephalus, a horse which none of the 
king's attendants could manage. Philip, it is 
recorded, said, with tears in his eyes, that his 
son must seek another kingdom, as that of 
Macedonia would not be large enough for him. 
He was educated by Aristotle, who exercised 
a great influence over his mind. He built 
a town, which he called Alexandria, on the 
Nile. His conquests were extended to India, 
where he fought with Porus, a powerful king 
of the country, and after he had invaded 
Scythia, he retired to Babylon laden with 
spoils. His entry into the city was predicted 
by the magicians as to prove fatal to him. 
He died at Babylon in his thirty-second year, 
after a reign of twelve years and eight months 
of continual success, b. c. 323. There were a 
number of others of the same name, but of 
less celebrity. 
Allia. A small river flowing into the Tiber about 
six miles from Rome. It is memorable by 
the defeat of the Romans by the Gauls on its 
banks, July 16, b. c. 390. Hence the dies 
Alliensis was an unlucky day in the Roman 
calendar. 

Alpes. Probably from the Celtic Alb or Alp, 
meaning " a height." These mountains form 
the boundary of northern Italy. 

Althaea. Daughter of Thestius and Eurythemis, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



23 



married Oeneus, king of Calydon, by whom 
she had many children, among them being 
Meleager. When he was born the Parcae put 
a log of wood on the fire, saying as long as 
it was preserved the life of the child would 
be prolonged. The mother took the wood 
from the flames and preserved it, but when 
Meleager killed his two uncles because they 
had insulted Atalanta, Althaea, to revenge 
them, threw the log in the fire, and when it 
was burnt Meleager expired. Althaea then 
killed herself. 

Amaithea. The nurse of the infant Zeus (Jupiter) 
in Crete, was, according to some traditions, 
the goat which suckled Zeus, and was re- 
warded by being placed among the stars. 
According to others, Zeus broke off one of 
the horns of the goat, and endowed it with 
the wonderful power of becoming filled with 
whatever the possessor might wish. Hence 
this horn was commonly called the horn of 
plenty, or cornucopia, and it was used in 
later times as the symbol of plenty in general. 

Amastris. Wife of Xerxes and mother of Arta- 
xerxes I. 

Amata. Wife of King Latinus and mother of 
Lavinia, opposed Lavinia being given in 
marriage to Aeneas, because she had al- 
ready promised her to Turnus. When she 
heard that Turnus had fallen in battle, she 
hung herself. 

Amazones or Amazonides. A nation of famous 



24 1O0O CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

women who lived near the river Thermodon 
in Cappadocia. All their lives were employed 
in wars and manly exercises. They founded 
an extensive empire in Asia Minor along the 
shores of the Euxine. 
Ambracia. A city of Epirus, the residence of 
King Pyrrhus. Augustus, after the battle of 
Actium, called it Nicopolis. Lord Byron thus 
alludes to it in the second canto of " Childe 
Harold " : 

" Ambracia's gulf behold, where once was lost 
A world for woman, lovely, harmless thing ! 
In yonder rippling bay, their naval host 
Did many a Roman chief and Asian king 
To doubtful conflict, certain slaughter bring." 

Amiternum. One of the most ancient towns of 

the Sabines, on the Aternus, the birthplace 

of the historian Sallust. 
Ammon. An Egyptian divinity whom the Greeks 

identified with Zeus, and the Romans with 

Jupiter. 

Amor. The god of love, had no place in the 
religion of the Romans, who only trans- 
late the Greek name Eros into Amor. 

Amphictyon. The son of Helenus,who first estab- 
lished the celebrated Council of the Amphic- 
tyons, composed of the wisest and most vir- 
tuous men of some cities of Greece. 

Amphion. Son of Jupiter and Antiope. He culti- 
vated poetry, and made such progress in 
music that he is said to have been the inven- 




See page 36. 
Arachne. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



■5 



tor of it, and to have built the walls of Thebes 
by the sound of his lyre. 
Amphitrite. A daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, 
who married Neptune. She is sometimes 
called Salatia. She was mother of Triton, a 
sea deity. 

Amycus. Son of Poseidon (Neptune), king of the 
Bebryces, celebrated for his skill in boxing. 
He used to challenge strangers to box with 
him, and slay them ; but when the Argonauts 
came to his dominions, Pollux killed him in 
a boxing-match. 

Anaces or Anactes. "The Kings" a name 
frequently given to Castor and Pollux. 

Anacharsis. A Scythian philosopher b. c. 592, 
who, on account of his wisdom, temper- 
ance, and knowledge, has been called one of 
the seven wise men. He has rendered him- 
self famous among the Ancients by his writ- 
ings, his poems on war, the laws of the 
Scythians, etc. 

Anacreon. A famous lyric poet of Teos, in 
Ionia, favored by Polycrates and Hipparchus, 
son of Philostratus. He was of intemperate 
habits and fond of pleasure. Some of his 
Odes are extant, and the beauty of his poetry 
has been the admiration of every age and 
country. He lived to the age of eighty-five, 
and after a life of pleasure was choked with 
a grape-stone. He flourished B. c. 532. The 
Odes have been translated into English by 
Moore, Cowley, and others. 



26 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Anadyomene. A famous painting by Apelles, of 
Venus rising from the sea. 

Anaxagoras. A Clazomenian philosopher, who 
disregarded wealth and honors to indulge his 
fondness for meditation and philosophy. He 
applied himself to astronomy, and obtained a 
knowledge of eclipses. He used to say he 
preferred a grain of wisdom to heaps of gold. 
He was accused of impiety and condemned to 
die, but he ridiculed the sentence, which he 
said had already been pronounced on him by 
nature. He died at the age of seventy-two, 
b. c. 428. 

Anaxarete. A girl of Salamis, who so arro- 
gantly rejected the addresses of Iphis, a youth 
of ignoble birth, that he hanged himself at 
her door. She saw the spectacle without 
emotion, and was changed into stone. Mr. 
Wiffen makes allusion to the circumstance in 
his translation of Garcilasso de la Vega : 

" Else tremble at the fate forlorn 
Of Anaxarete, who spurn'd 
The weeping Iphis from her gate ; 
Who, scoffing long, relenting late, 
Was to a statue turn'd." 

Anchises. A son of Capys and Themis. He 
was so beautiful that Venus came down from 
Heaven on Mount Ida to enjoy his company. 
Aeneas was the son of Anchises and Venus, 
and was entrusted to the care of Chiron the 
Centaur. When Troy was taken, Anchises 
had become so infirm that Aeneas had to 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



2 7 



carry him through the flames upon his shoul- 
ders, and thus saved his life. 

Ancus Marcius. Fourth king of Rome, reigned 
twenty-four years, b. c. 640-616, and is said 
to have been the son of Numa's daughter. 
He took many Latin towns, transported the 
inhabitants to Rome, and gave them the 
Aventine to dwell on : these conquered 
Latins formed the original Plebs. He was 
succeeded by Tarquinius Priscus. 

Atidocides. One of the ten Attic orators, was 
born in Athens b. c. 467. In 415 he was 
involved with Alcibiades in the charge of 
having mutilated the Hermae, and was ban- 
ished from Athens. He died in exile after 
leading a wandering and disreputable life. 
Only four of his orations have come down 
to us . 

\ndroclus or -cles. The slave of a Roman con- 
sular, was sentenced to be exposed to the 
wild beasts in the circus ; but a lion which 
had been let loose upon him, exhibited signs 
of recognition, and began licking him. Upon 
inquiry it appeared that Androclus had run 
away from his master in Africa ; and that, 
having taken refuge in a cave, a lion en- 
tered, went up to him, and held out his paw. 
Androclus extracted a large thorn which had 
entered it. Henceforth they lived together 
for some time, the lion catering for his bene- 
factor. But at last, tired of this savage life, 
Androclus left the cave, was apprehended 



28 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



by some soldiers, brought to Rome, and con- 
demned to the wild beasts. He was par- 
doned, and presented with the lion, which 
he vised to lead about the city. 

Androgeos or Androgeus. Son of Minos and 
Pasiphae, conquered all his opponents in the 
games of the Panathenaea at Athens, and 
was in consequence slain at the instigation 
of Aegeus. Minos made war on the Athe- 
nians to avenge the death of his son, and 
compelled them to send every year to Crete 
seven youths and seven damsels to be de- 
voured by the Minotaur. From this shame- 
ful tribute they were delivered by Theseus. 

Andromache. Daughter of Eetion, king of 
Thebes. She married Hector, son of Priam, 
and was the mother of Astyanax. Her part- 
ing with Hector, who was going to battle, is 
described in the Iliad, and has been deemed 
one of the most beautiful passages in that 
great work. Pope's translation of the Iliad 
(Book 6) describes with great pathos and 
beauty the parting of Hector from his wife 
and child. The passage is too long for quo- 
tation, but this quatrain from it shows the 
style : 

" Thus having spoke, th' illustrious chief of Troy 
Stretch'd his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy ; 
The babe clung crying to his nurse's breast, 
Scared at the dazzling helm and nodding crest." 

Andromeda. A daughter of Cepheus, king of 
Aethiopia, and Cassiope. She was promised 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



29 



in marriage to Phineus when Neptune 
drowned the kingdom and set a sea monster 
to ravage the country, because Cassiope had 
boasted that she was fairer than Juno and 
the Nereides. The oracle of Jupiter Ammon 
was consulted, but nothing could stop the 
resentment of Neptune except the exposure 
of Andromeda to the sea monster. She was 
accordingly tied to a rock, but at the moment 
that the monster was about to devour her, 
Perseus, returning from the conquest of the 
Gorgons, saw her, and was captivated with 
her beauty. He changed the monster into a 
rock by showing Medusa's head, and released 
Andromeda and married her. 

Angli or Anglii. A German people on the left 
bank of the. Elbe, who passed over with the 
Saxons into Britain, which was called after 
them, England. 

Anius. Son of Apollo by Creiisa, and priest of 
Apollo at Delos. By Dryope he had three 
daughters, to whom Dionysus gave the 
power of producing at will any quantity of 
wine, corn, and oil — whence they were called 
Oenotropae. 

Anna. Daughter of Belus and sister of Dido. 
After the death of the' latter, she fled from 
Carthage to Italy, where she was kindly 
received by Aeneas. Here she excited the 
jealousy of Lavinia, and, being warned in a 
dream by Dido, she fled and threw herself 
into the river Numicius. 



30 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Antaeus. Son of Poseidon (Neptune) and Ge 
(Earth), a mighty giant and wrestler in 
Libya, whose strength was invincible so long 
as he remained in contact with his mother 
earth. Hercules discovered the source of 
his strength, lifted him from the earth, and 
crushed him in the air. 

Antenor. A Trojan, son of Aesyetes and Cleo- 
mestra, and husband of Theano. He was 
one of the wisest among the elders at Troy ; 
he received Menelaus and Ulysses into his 
house when they came to Troy as embas- 
sadors ; and he advised his fellow-citizens to 
restore Helen to Menelaus. On the capture 
of Troy, Antenor was spared by the Greeks. 

Anthropophagi. A people of Scythia who fed on 
human flesh. They lived near the country of 
the Messagetae. Shakespeare makes Othello, 
in his speech to the Senate, allude to the 
Anthropophagi thus : 

" The cannibals that each other eat, 
The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads 
Do grow beneath their shoulders." 

Anticlea. Daughter of Autolycus, wife of Laer- 
tes, and mother of Ulysses, died of grief at 
the long absence of her son. 

Antigone. A daughter of Oedipus, king of 
Thebes. She buried, by night, her brother 
Polynices, against the orders of Creon, for 
which offense he ordered her to be buried 
alive. She, however, killed herself on hear- 
ing of the sentence. The death of Antigone 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



31 



is the subject of one of the finest tragedies of 
Sophocles. 

Antiochia and -ea. The capital of the Greek 
kingdom of Syria. 

Antiochus. Surnamed Soter, was the son of Se- 
leucus and king of Syria. He made a treaty 
of alliance with Ptolemy Philadelphus, king 
of Egypt. He wedded his stepmother Strat- 
onice. He was succeeded by his son Anti- 
ochus II., who put an end to the war which 
had begun with Ptolemy, and married his 
daughter Berenice, but being already mar- 
ried to Laodice, she, in revenge, poisoned 
him. Antiochus, the third of that name, sur- 
named the Great, was king of Syria, and 
reigned thirty-six years. He was defeated 
by Ptolemy Philopater at Raphia. He con- 
quered the greater part of Greece, and Han- 
nibal incited him to enter on a crusade 
against Rome. He was killed 187 years be- 
fore the Christian era. Antiochus Epiph- 
anes, the fourth of the name, was king of 
Syria after his brother Seleucus. He be- 
haved with cruelty to the Jews. He reigned 
eleven years, and died unregretted. There 
were many others of the same name of less 
note. 

Antiope. Daughter of Nycteus, king of Thebes, 
and Polyxo, was beloved by Jupiter. Am- 
phion and Zethus were her offspring. 

Antiphon. The most ancient of the ten orators, 
born at Rhamnus in Attica, b. c. 480. He 



32 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



belonged to the oligarchical party at Athens, 
and took an active part in the establishment 
of the government of the Four Hundred, b. c. 
411, after the overthrow of which he was 
brought to trial, condemned, and put to 
death. 

Antisthenes. An Athenian, founder of the sect 
of the Cynic philosophers. He taught in the 
Cynosarges, a gymnasium for the use of 
Athenians born of foreign mothers ; whence 
probably his followers were called Cynics, 
though others derive their name from their 
dog-like neglect of all forms and usages of 
society. From his school the Stoics subse- 
quently sprung. 

Antium. A very ancient town of Latium, on a 
rocky promontory running out some distance 
into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The emperor Xero 
was born here. 

Antoninus. Surnamed Pitts, was adopted by the 
Emperor Adrian, whom he succeeded. He 
was remarkable for all the virtues forming 
a perfect statesman, philosopher, and king. 
He treated his subjects with affability and 
humanity, and listened with patience to 
every complaint brought before him. He 
died in his seventy-fifth year, after a reign 
of twenty-three years, a. d. 160, 

Antonius, Marcus. Mark Antony, the triumvir, 
distinguished himself by his ambitious views. 
When Julius Caesar was killed in the senate 
house, Antony delivered an oration over his 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



33 



body, the eloquence of which is recorded in 
Shakespeare's tragedy of Julius Caesar. An- 
tony had married Fulvia, whom he repudi- 
ated to marry Octavia, the sister of Augustus. 
He fought by the side of Augustus at the 
battle of Philippi, against the murderers of 
Julius Caesar. Subsequently he became 
enamored with Cleopatra, the renowned 
queen of Egypt, and repudiated Octavia to 
marry her. He was utterly defeated at the 
battle of Actium, and stabbed himself. He 
died in the fifty-sixth year of his age, b. c. 30. 
Shakespeare, in his noble tragedy — Antony 
and Cleopatra — makes Antony appeal to his 
attendant, Eros, to slay him, who refuses, 
when Antony falls on his own sword. The 
reader is referred to the fourth act of the 
play, where Antony, defeated and heart- 
broken, addresses his attendant : 

" Unarm, Eros ; the long day's task is done, 
And we must sleep." 

Antonius, Julius. Son of the famous triumvir 
Antony, by Fulvia, was consul with Paulus 
Fabius Maximus. He was surnamed Afri- 
canus, and put to death by order of Augustus, 
but some say he killed himself. 

Apelles. A celebrated painter of Cos, or, as 
others say, of Ephesus ; son of Pithius. He 
lived in the age of Alexander the Great, who 
forbade anyone but Apelles to paint his por- 
trait. He was so absorbed in his profession 
that he never allowed a day to pass without 



34 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



employing himself at his art; hence the 
proverb of Nulla dies sine lined. His most 
perfect picture was Venus Anadyomene, 
which was not quite finished when he died. 
He painted a picture in which a horse was a 
prominent feature, and so correctly was it 
delineated that a horse passing by it neighed, 
supposing it to be alive. He was ordered by 
Alexander to paint a portrait of one of his 
favorites— Campaspe. While painting her 
picture, Apelles became enamored with her 
and married her. He only put his name to 
three of his pictures — a sleeping Venus, 
Venus Anadyomene, and an Alexander. 

Apenninus Mons. Probably from the Celtic 
Pen, meaning " a height." A chain of 
mountains running throughout Italy from 
north to south, and forming the backbone 
of the peninsula. 

Aphrodite. The Grecian name for Venus, from 
the Greek word meaning froth, because 
Venus is said to have been born from the 
froth of the ocean. 

Apis. A god of the Egyptians, worshipped under 
the form of an ox. Some say that Isis and 
Osiris are the deities worshipped under this 
name, because they taught the Egyptians 
agriculture. 

Apollo. Son of Jupiter and Latona ; called also 
Phoebus. He was the god of the fine arts 
and the reputed originator of music, poetry, 
and eloquence. He had received from Jupiter 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



35 



the power of knowing futurity, and his oracles 
were in repute everywhere. As soon as he 
was born he destroyed with his arrows the 
serpent Python, which Juno had sent to per- 
secute Latona ; hence he was called Pythius. 
He was not the inventor of the lyre, as some 
have supposed, but it was given to him by 
Mercury, who received in return the famous 
caduceus. He received the surnames of 
Phoebus, Delius, Cynthius, Paean, Delphicus, 
etc. He is in sculpture generally represented 
as a handsome young man with a bow in his 
hand, from which an arrow has just been dis- 
charged. 

Apollodorus. Of Athens, flourished about b. c. 
140. His work, entitled Bibliotheca, con- 
tains a well-arranged account of the Greek 
mythology. 

Appianus. An historian of Alexandria, who 
flourished a. d. 123. His Universal History, 
which consisted of twenty-four books, was a 
history of all the nations conquered by the 
Romans. 

Appia Via. The most celebrated of the Roman 
roads, was commenced by Ap. Claudius 
Caecus, when censor, b. c. 312, and was the 
great line of communication between Rome 
and southern Italy. It issued from the Porta 
Capena, and terminated at Capua, but was 
eventually extended to Brundusium. 

Appius Claudius. A decemvir who obtained his 
power by force and oppression. He grossly 



36 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



insulted Virginia, whom her father killed to 
save her from the power of the tyrant. 

Apulia. Included, in its widest signification, the 
whole of the southeast of Italy from the river 
Frento to the promontory Iapygium. 

Aquae. The name given by the Romans to many 
medicinal springs and bathing-places. 

Aquinum. A town of the Volscians in Latium ; 
a Roman municipium and afterwards a col- 
ony; the birthplace of Juvenal; celebrated for 
its purple dye. 

Aquitania. The country of the Aquitani, ex- 
tended from the Garumna (Garonne) to the 
Pyrenees. 

Arabia. A country at the southwest extremity of 
Asia, forming a large peninsula, of a sort of 
hatchet shape, bounded on the west by the 
Arabicus Sinus (Red Sea), on the south and 
southeast by the Erythraeum Mare (Gulf of 
Bab-el-Mandeb and Indian Ocean), and on 
the northeast by the Persicus Sinus (Persian 
Gulf). 

Arabicus Sinus (Red Sea). A long, narrow gulf 
between Africa and Arabia. 

Arachne. A Lydian maiden, daughter of Idmon 
of Colophon, a famous dyer in purple. 
Arachne excelled in the art of weaving, and, 
proud of her talent, ventured to challenge 
Athena (Minerva) to compete with her. The 
maiden produced a piece of cloth in which 
the amours of the gods were woven, and as 
the goddess could find no fault with it, she 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



37 



tore the work to pieces. Arachne, in despair, 
hung herself ; Athena ioosened the rope and 
saved her life, but the rope was changed 
into a cobweb, and Arachne herself into 
a spider. This fable seems to suggest 
that man learned the art of weaving from 
the spider, and that it was invented in 
Lydia. 

Arcadia. A district of Peloponnesus, which has 
been much extolled by the poets. It was 
famous for its mountains. The inhabitants 
were for the most part shepherds, who lived 
upon acorns. They were skillful warriors 
and able musicians. Pan lived chiefly 
among them. 

Areas. King of the Arcadians, son of Zeus 
(Jupiter) and Callisto, from whom Arcadia 
was supposed to have derived its name. 

Arcesius. Father of Laertes, and grandfather of 
Ulysses, who is hence called Arcesiades. 

Archelaus. Son of Herod the Great, was 
appointed by his father as his successor, 
and received from Augustus Judaea, Samaria, 
and Idumaea, with the title of ethnarch. In 
consequence of his tyrannical government 
Augustus banished him in a. d. 7 to Vienna 
in Gaul, where he died. 

Archias. A. Licinius Archias, a Greek poet, 
born at Antioch in Syria, about B. c. 120, 
came to Rome in 102, and was received in 
the most friendly way by the Luculli, from 
whom he obtained the gentile name of 



38 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Licinius. He was enrolled as a citizen at 
Heraclea in Lttcania ; and as this town was 
united with Rome by a foedus, he subse- 
quently obtained the Roman franchise in 
accordance with the lex Plautia Papirta 
passed in b. c. 89. In 61 he was accused of 
assuming the citizenship illegally. He was 
defended by his friend M. Cicero in the 
extant speech Pro Arckia, in which the 
orator, after briefly discussing the legal 
points of the case, rests the defense of his 
client upon his merits as a poet, which 
entitled him to the Roman citizenship. 

Archimedes. A famous geometrician of Syra- 
cuse w T ho invented a machine of glass that 
represented the motion of the heavenly 
bodies. When Marcellus, the Roman consul, 
besieged Syracuse, Archimedes constructed 
machines which suddenly raised into the air 
the ships of the enemy, which then fell into 
the sea and were sunk. He also set fire to the 
ships with burning-glasses. When the enemy 
were in possession of the town, a soldier, not 
knowing who he was, killed him, b. c. 212. 

Arctos {The Bear). Two constellations near 
the North Pole.^-(i) The Great Bear ( Ursa 
Major), also called the Wag 071 {plans- 
tru?7i). The ancient Italian name of this 
constellation w T as Sept em Triones, that is 
the Seven Plowing Oxen, also Septe7itrio^ 
and with the epithet Major to distinguish it 
from the Septentrio Minor, or Lesser Bear. — 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



39 



(2) The Lesser or Little Bear ( Ursa Minor), 
likewise called the Wagon, and Cynosura 
{dog's tail) from the resemblance of the 
constellation to the upturned curl of a dog's 
tail. 

Arethusa. A nymph of Elis, daughter of Oce- 
anus, and one of Diana's attendants. As she 
returned one day from hunting she bathed in 
the Alpheus stream. The god of the river 
was enamored of her, and pursued her over 
the mountains, till Arethusa, ready to sink 
from fatigue, implored Diana to change 
her into a fountain, which the goddess 
did. 

Argiva. A surname of Hera or Juno from Argos, 
where she was especially honored. 

Argo. The name of the famous ship which car- 
ried Jason and his companions to Colchis, 
when they went to recover the Golden Fleece. 

Argonautae. The Argonauts, those ancient he- 
roes who went with Jason in the Argo to 
Colchis to recover the Golden Fleece, about 
seventy-nine years before the capture of 
Troy. The number of the Argonauts is not 
exactly known. 

Argus. A son of Arestor, whence he is some- 
times called Arestorides. He had a hundred 
eyes, of which only two were asleep at one 
time. Juno set him to watch lo, whom 
Jupiter had changed into a heifer, but Mer- 
cury, by order of Jupiter, slew him, by lulling 
all his eyes to sleep with the notes of the lyre, 



40 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Juno put the eyes of Argus in the tail of the 
peacock, a bird sacred to her. 

Ariadne. Daughter of Minos, second king of 
Crete, and Pasiphae, fell in love with Theseus, 
who was shut up in the labyrinth to be de- 
voured by the Minotaur. She gave Theseus 
a clew of thread by which he extricated him- 
self from the windings of the labyrinth. 
After he had conquered the Minotaur he 
married her, but after a time he forsook her. 
On this, according to some authorities, she 
hanged herself. According to other writers, 
after being abandoned by Theseus, Bacchus 
loved her, and gave her a crown of seven 
stars, which were made a constellation. 

Ariaeus. The friend of Cyrus, commanded the 
left wing of the army at the battle of Cunaxa, 
b. c. 401. After the death of Cyrus he pur- 
chased his pardon from Artaxerxes by 
deserting the Greeks. 

Arimaspi. A people in the north of Scythia, 
represented as men with only one eye, who 
fought with the griffins for the possession 
of the gold in their neighborhood. 

Arion. A famous lyric poet and musician, son 
of Cyclos of Methymna in Lesbos. He went 
into Italy with Periander, tyrant of Corinth, 
where he gained much wealth by his profes- 
sion. Afterward he wished to revisit the 
place of his nativity, and he embarked in a 
ship, the sailors of which resolved to kill him 
for the riches he had with him. Arion en- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



41 



treated them to listen to his music, and as 
soon as he had finished playing he threw 
himself into the sea. A number of dolphins 
had been attracted by the sweetness of his 
music, and it is said that one of them carried 
him safely on its back to Taenarus, whence 
he went to the court of Periander, who 
ordered all the sailors to be crucified. 
Ariovistus. A German chief, who had conquered 
a great part of Gaul, but was defeated by 
Caesar, and driven across the Rhine, b. c. 58 
Ariovistus escaped across the river in a small 
boat. 

Aristaeus. Son of Apollo and Cyrene, was born 
in Libya. He afterwards went to Thrace, 
where he fell in love with Eurydice, the wife 
of Orpheus. The latter, while fleeing from 
him, perished by the bite of a serpent. He 
was regarded as the protector of flocks and 
shepherds, of vine and olive plantations: he 
taught men to keep bees, and averted from 
the fields the burning heat of the sun and 
other causes of destruction. 

Aristides, A celebrated Athenian, son of Lysim- 
achus, in the age of Themistocles, whose 
great temperance and virtue procured for him 
the name of The Just. He was rival to 
Themistocles, by whose influence he was 
banished for ten years, b. c. 484. He was at 
the battle of Salamis, and was appointed to be 
chief commander with Pausanias against 
Mardonius, whom they defeated at Plataea. 



42 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Aristippus the Elder. A philosopher of Cyrene, 
a disciple of Socrates, and founder of the 
Cyrenaic sect. 

Aristophanes. A celebrated comic poet of 
Athens, son of Philip of Rhodes. He wrote 
fifty-four comedies, of which eleven have 
come down to us. He lived b. c. 434, and 
lashed the vices of the age with a masterly 
hand. 

Aristoteles. A famous philosopher, son of Ni- 
comachus, born at Stagira. He went to 
Athens to hear Plato's lectures, where he 
soon signalized himself by his genius. He 
has been called by Plato the philosopher of 
truth, and Cicero complimented him for his 
eloquence, fecundity of thought, and univer- 
sal knowledge. He died in his sixty-third 
year, b. c. 322. The term Stagirite has been 
applied to Aristotle from the name of his 
birthplace. Pope, in his Essay on Criticism, 
thus alludes to him under this name : 

" And rules as strict his labor'd work confine, 
As if the Stagirite o'erlooked each line." 

Armenia. A country of Asia, lying between 
As'ia Minor and the Caspian Sea. 

Arpinum. A town of Latium on the small river 
Fibrenus, originally belonging to the Volsci- 
ans and afterwards to the Samnites, was a 
Roman municipium, and received the jus 
suffragii, or right of voting in the Roman 
comitia, b. c. 188. It was the birthplace of 
Marius and Cicero. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



43 



Arrianus. A Greek historian and philosopher, 
was born at Nicomedia in Bithynia, about 
a. d. 90. He was a pupil and friend of 
Epictetus, whose lectures he published at 
Athens. In 124, he received from Hadrian 
the Roman citizenship, and from this time 
assumed the name of Flavius. Arrian was 
one of the best writers of his time. He was a 
close imitator of Xenophon both in the sub- 
jects of his works and in the style in which 
they were written. The most important of 
them is his History of the expedition of 
Alexander the Great, in seven books, which 
was based upon the most trustworthy 
histories written by the contemporaries of 
Alexander. 

Arsaces. The name of the founder of the 
Parthian empire, which was also borne by 
all his successors, who were hence called the 
Arsacidae. 

Artaxerxes the First. Succeeded to the kingdom 
of Persia after Xerxes. He made war against 
the Bactrians, and reconquered Egypt, which 
had revolted. He was remarkable for his 
equity and moderation. 

Artaxerxes the Second. King of Persia, sur- 
named Mnemon. His brother Cyrus endeav- 
ored to make himself king in his place, and 
marched against his brother at the head of 
100,000 Barbarians and 13,000 Greeks. He 
was opposed by Artaxerxes with a large army, 
and bloody battle was fought at Cunaxa, 



44 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



in which Cyrus was killed and his forces 
routed. 

Artemis. The Greek name of Diana. Her festi- 
vals, called Artemesia, were celebrated in 
several parts of Greece, particularly at Delphi. 

Artemisia. Daughter of Hecatomnus, and sister, 
wife, and successor of the Carian prince 
Mausolus, reigned b. c. 352-350. She is 
renowned in history for her extraordinary 
grief at the death of her husband Mausolus. 
She is said to have mixed his ashes in her 
daily drink ; and to perpetuate his memory 
she built at Halicarnassus the celebrated 
monument, Mausoleum, which was regarded 
as one of the seven wonders of the world, 
and whose name subsequently became the 
generic term for any splendid sepulchral 
monument. 

Arverni. A Gallic people in Aquitania, in the 
modern Auvergne. In early times they 
were the most powerful people in the south 
of Gaul. 

Ascanius. Son of Aeneas and Creusa, was saved 
from the flames of Troy by his father, whom 
he accompanied in his voyage to Italy. He 
was afterward called lulus. 

Asia. In the poets Asis, one of the three 
great divisions which the ancients made of 
the known world. It was first used by the 
Greeks for the western part of Asia Minor, 
especially the plains watered by the river 
Cayster, where the Ionian colonists first 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBEB. 



45 



settled ; and thence, as their geographical 
knowledge advanced, they extended it to 
the whole country. The southern part of the 
continent was supposed to extend much 
farther to the east than it really does, while to 
the north and northeast parts, which were 
quite unknown, much too small an extent 
was assigned. 

Aspasia. Daughter of Axiochus, born at Meli- 
tus. She came to Athens, where she taught 
eloquence. Socrates was one of her scholars. 
She so captivated Pericles by her accom- 
plishments that he made her his wife. The 
conduct of Pericles and Aspasia greatly cor- 
rupted the morals of the Athenians, and 
caused much dissipation in the state. 

Assaracus. King of Troy, son of Tros, father of 
Capys, grandfather of Anchises, and great- 
grandfather of Aeneas. Hence the Romans, 
as descendants of Aeneas, are called domus 
Assaraci. 

Assyria. The country properly so called, in 
the narrowest sense, was a district of Asia, 
extending along the east side of the Tigris, 
which divided it on the west and northwest 
from Mesopotamia and Babylonia, * and 
bounded on the north and east by the 
Niphates and Zagrus mountains, which 
separated it from Armenia and Media, and 
on the southeast by Susiana. 

Astraea. A daughter of Astraeus, king of Arca- 
dia, or, according to others, daughter of Titan 



46 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



and Aurora. Some make her daughter of 
Jupiter and Themis. She was called Justice, 
of which virtue she was the goddess. 

Astraeus. A Titan, husband of Eos (Aurora), 
and father of the winds and the stars. 
Ovid calls the winds Astraei fratres, the 
44 Astraean brothers.''' 

Astyages. Son of Cyaxares, last king of Media, 
reigned b. c. 594-559. He was deposed and 
deprived of his dominions by his grandson 
Cyrus. 

Astyanax. A son of Hector and Andromache. 
He was very young when the Greeks besieged 
Troy, and when the city was taken his mother 
saved him in her arms from the flames. Ac- 
cording to Euripides he was killed by Men- 
elaus. 

Atalanta. Daughter of Schoeneus, king of 
Scyros. According to some she was the 
daughter of Jasus, or Jasius, and Clymene, 
but others say that Menalion was her father. 
She determined to live in celibacy, but her 
beauty gained her many admirers, and to free 
herself from their importunities she proposed 
to run a race with them. As she was almost 
invincible in running, her suitors, who en- 
tered the lists against her, were defeated, till 
Hippomenes, the son of Macareus, proposed 
himself as an admirer. Venus gave him three 
golden apples from the garden of the Hes- 
perides, and with these concealed about him 
he entered the lists to race against Atalanta. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



47 



As the race proceeded he dropped the apples, 
which she stopped to pick up, thus enabling 
Hippomenes to arrive first at the goal, and 
obtain her in marriage. 

Ate. Daughter of Jupiter, and goddess of all 
evil. She raised such discord among the 
gods that Jupiter banished her from heaven, 
and sent her to dwell on earth, where she 
incited mankind to evil thoughts and actions. 

Athena or Athene. See Minerva. 

Athenae (A tAens). The capital of Attica, about 
four miles from the sea, between the small 
rivers Cephissus on the west and Ilissus on the 
east, the latter of which flowed through the 
town. The most ancient part of it, the 
Acropolis , is said to have been built by the 
mythical Cecrops, but the city itself is said to 
have owed its origin to Theseus, who united 
the twelve independent states or townships 
of Attica into one state, and made Athens 
its capital. The city was burned by Xerxes 
in b. c. 480, but was soon rebuilt under the 
administration of Themistocles, and was 
adorned with public buildings by Cimon, and 
especially by Pericles, in whose time, b. c. 
460-429, it reached its greatest splendor. 

Athenaeum. In general a temple or place sacred 
to Athena (Minerva). The name was spe- 
cially given to a school founded by the 
emperor Hadrian at Rome about a. d. 133, 
for the promotion of literary and scientific 
studies. 



4 8 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Atlas Mons. Was the general name of the great 
mountain range which covers the surface of 
north Africa between the Mediterranean and 
the Great Desert {Sahara) on the north and 
south, and the Atlantic and the Lesser Syrtis 
on the west and east. 

Atossa. Daughter of Cyrus, and wife suc- 
cessively of her brother Cambyses, of 
Smerdis the Magian. and of Darius Hys- 
taspis, by whom she became the mother of 
Xerxes. 

Atreus. A son of Pelops and Hippodamia, was 
king of Mycenae. His brother Chrysippus 
was of disgraceful birth, and Hippodamia 
wished to get rid of him, and urged Atreus 
and another of her sons, Thyestes, to murder 
him, which, on their refusal, she did herself. 
Atreus retired to the court of Eurystheus, 
king of Argos, and succeeded to his throne. 

Attica. A division of Greece, has the form of a 
triangle, two sides of which are washed by 
the Aegean Sea, while the third is separated 
from Boeotia on the north by the mountains 
Cithaeron and Parnes. 

Aufidus. The principal river of Apulia, flowing 
with a rapid current into the Adriatic 
Venusia, the birthplace of Horace, was on 
the Aufidus. 

Augila. An oasis in the Great Desert of Africa, 
ten days' journey west of the Oasis of Am- 
nion, abounding in date palms. 

Augustus, Qstavianus. C&ssar, Emperor of Rome { 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



49 



. was son of Octavius, a senator, and Accia, 
sister to Julius Caesar. He was associated, 
in the triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus, 
and defeated the armies of Brutus and 
Cassius at Philippi. Octavia, the sister of 
Augustus, married Antony after the death 
of his wife Fulvia. Octavia, however, was 
slighted for the charms of Cleopatra, which 
incensed Augustus, who took up arms io 
avenge the wrongs of his sister, and at the 
great battle of Actium, b. c. 31, the forces ci 
Antony and Cleopatra suffered a disastrous 
defeat. 

Aurelianus. Emperor of Rome, was austere and 
cruel in the execution of the laws and in his 
treatment of his soldiers. He was famous for 
his military character, and his expedition 
against Zenobia, queen of Palmyra, gained 
him great honors. It is said that in his vari- 
ous battles he killed 800 men with his own 
hand. He was assassinated near Byzantium, 
a. d. 275. 

Aurellius, M. Antoninus. Surnamed The Philos- 
opher, possessed all the virtues which should 
adorn the character of a prince. He raised l_ 
the imperial dignity his brother L. Verus, 
who- e dissipation and voluptuousness were as 
conspicuous the moderation of the philos- 
opher. During their reign the Quadi, Par- 
thians, and Marcomanni were defeated. 
Verus died of apoplexy, and Antoninus sur 
vived him eight years, dying in his sixty-fust 



50 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



year, after a reign of nineteen years and ten 
days. 

Aurora. A goddess, daughter of Hyperion and 
Thia or Thea. She is generally represented 
by the poets as sitting in a chariot and 
opening with her fingers the gates of the 
east, pouring dew on the earth, and mak- 
ing the flowers grow. The Greeks call her 
Eos. 

Auster. Called Notus by the Greeks, the south 
wind, or strictly the southwest wind. It 
frequently brought with it fogs and rain; 
but at certain seasons of the year it was 
a dry, sultry wind, injurious both to man 
and to vegetation, the Sirocco of the modern 
Italians. 

Autolycus. Son of Hermes (Mercury) and 
Chione, and father of Anticlea, who was the 
mother of Ulysses. 

Automedon. Son of Diores, the charioteer and 
companion of Achilles, and, after the death of 
the latter, the companion of his son Pyrrhus. 
Hence Automedon is used as the name of any 
skillful charioteer. 

Avernus Lacus. A lake close to the promontory 
between Cumae and Puteoli, filling the crater 
of an extinct volcano. The lake was cele- 
brated in mythology on account of its 
connection with the lower world. Near 
it was the cave of the Cumaean Sibyl, 
through which Aeneas descended to the 
lower world. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



5 1 



Babylon. One of the oldest cities of the ancient 
world, built on both banks of the river 
Euphrates. 

Bacchus. Son of Jupiter and Semele, the 
daughter of Cadmus. He was the god of 
wine, and is generally represented crowned 
with vine leaves. He is said to have married 
Ariadne after she had been forsaken by 
Theseus. 

Baiae. A town in Campania, on a small bay west 
of Naples, and opposite Puteoli, was situated 
in a beautiful country, which abounded in 
warm mineral springs. The baths of Baiae 
were the most celebrated in Italy, and the 
town itself was the favorite watering-place 
of the Romans. The whole country was 
studded with the palaces of the Roman 
nobles and emperors, which covered the 
coast from Baiae to Puteoli. The site of 
ancient Baiae is now for the most part cov- 
ered by the sea. 

Balbus, L. Cornelius. Served under Pompey 
against Sertorius in Spain, and received 
from Pompey the Roman citizenship. He 
returned with Pompey to Rome, where 
he lived on intimate terms with Caesar 
as well as Pompey. In b. c. 56 he was ac- 
cused of having illegally assumed the Roman 
citizenship; he was defended by Cicero, 
whose speech has come down to us, and was 
acquitted. 

Baleares. Also called Gymnesiae, by the Greeks. 



52 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Two islands in the Mediterranean, off the 
coast of Spain, distinguished by the epithets 
Major and Minor, whence their modern 
names Majorca and Minorca. Their inhab- 
itants, also called Balcares, were celebrated 
as slingers. 

Barbari. The name given by the Greeks to all 
foreigners, whose language was not Greek, 
and who were therefore regarded by the 
Greeks as an inferior race. The Romans 
applied the name to all people who spoke 
neither Greek nor Latin. 

Bassareus. A surname of Dionysus, probably 
derived from b as saris, a fox-skin, worn by 
the god himself and the Maenads in Thrace. 
Hence Bassaris was the name of a female 
Bacchante. 

Belesis or Belesys. A Chaldean priest at Baby- 
lon, who is said, in conjunction with Arbaces, 
the Mede, to have overthrown the old As- 
syrian empire. Belesis afterwards received 
the satrapy of Babylon from Arbaces. 

Belgae. A people of German origin, inhabit- 
ing the northeast of Gaul, were bounded on 
the north by the Rhine, on the west by the 
ocean, on the south by the Sequana (Seine) 
and Matrona (Marne), and on the east by 
the territory of the Treviri. They were 
the bravest of the inhabitants of Gaul, and 
were subdued by Caesar after a courageous 
resistance. 

Belgium. The name generally applied to the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



53 



territory of the Bellovaci, and of the tribes 
dependent upon the latter, namely, the 
Atrebates, Ambiani, Velliocasses, Aulerci, 
and Caleti. Belgium did not include the 
whole country inhabited by the Belgae, for 
we find the Nervii, Remi, etc., expressly ex- 
cluded from it. 

Belisarius. A celebrated general who, in the 
reign of Justinian, emperor of Constantinople, 
renewed the victories which had rendered the 
first Romans so distinguished. He died, 
after a life of glory, suffering from royal 
ingratitude, b. c. 565. 

Bellerophon. Son of Glaucus, king of Ephyre, 
and Eurymede, was at first called Hipponous. 
He was sent by Iobates, king of Lycia, to 
conquer the monster Chimaera. Minerva as- 
sisted him in the expedition, and by the aid 
of the winged horse Pegasus he conquered 
the monster and returned victorious. After 
sending him on other dangerous adventures, 
Iobates gave him his daughter in marriage 
and made him successor to his throne. 

Bellona. Goddess of war, was daughter of 
Phorcys and Ceto ; called by the Greeks 
Enyo, and is often confounded with Minerva. 
She prepared the chariot of Mars when he 
was going to war, and appeared in battles 
armed with a whip to animate the combat- 
ants, and holding a torch. 

Belus. One of the most ancient kings of Baby- 
lon, about 1800 years before the age of 



54 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Semiramis, was made a god after death, and 
was worshipped by the Assyrians and Baby- 
lonians. He was supposed to be the son of 
the Osiris of the Egyptians. The temple of 
Belus was the most ancient and magnificent 
in the world, and was said to have been 
originally the tower of Babel. 
Berenice. The mother of Agrippa, whose name 
occurs in the history of the Jews as daughter- 
in-law of Herod the Great. A number of 
others of minor celebrity were known by the 
same name. 

Bilbilis (Baubold). A town of the Celtiberi in 
Hispania Tarraconensis, the birthplace of 
the poet Martial. 

Bingium (Bingen). A town on the Rhine in 
Gallica Belgica. 

Bithynia. A district of Asia Minor, bounded on 
the west by Mysia, on the north by the 
Pontus Euxinus, on the east by Paphlagonia, 
and on the south by Phrygia Epictetus. 

Bituriges. A numerous and powerful Celtic peo- 
ple in Gallia Aquitania, who had in early 
times the supremacy over the other Celts in 
Gaul. 

Boadicea. A famous British queen who rebelled 
against the Romans and was defeated, upon 
which she poisoned herself. Her cruel treat- 
ment by the Romans is the subject of an ode 
by Cowper. 

Boeotia. A district of Greece, bounded north by 
Opuntian Locris, east by the Buboean Sea, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



55 



south by Attica, Megan's, and the Corinthian 
Gulf, and west by Phocis. 
Boethius. A Roman statesman and author, born 
about a. d. 470, was famous for his general 
learning, and especially for his knowledge 
of Greek philosophy. He was first highly 
favored by Theodosius the Great ; but having 
awakened his suspicion, he was thrown into 
prison by him, and afterwards put to death. 
It was during his imprisonment that he 
wrote his celebrated work, De Consola- 
tione Philosophiae, which has come down 
to us. 

Boii. One of the most powerful of the Celtic 
people, said to have dwelt originally in Gaul 
(Transalpina). 

Boreas. The name of the north wind blowing 
from the Hyperborean mountains. Accord- 
ing to the poets, he was son of Astraeus and 
Aurora. Boreas is said by Homer to have 
turned himself into a horse out of love for 
th 3 muses of Ericthonius. (II. xx. 223.) 

Bosporus {Ox-ford). The name of any straits 
among the Greeks, but especially applied 
to the Thracian Bosporus (Charmel of 
Constantinople), which unites the Propontis 
or Sea r©tf Marmora with the Euxine or Black 
Sea ; and the Cimmerian Bosporus (Straits 
of Kaffa), which unites the Palus Maeotis or 
Sea of Azof with the Euxine or Black Sea. 

Bovillae. An ancient town in Latium at the foot 
of the Alban mountain, on the Appian Way, 



56 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



about ten miles from Rome. Near it Clodius 
was killed by Milo, b, c. 52. 
ennus. A general of the Galli Senones, who 
entered Italy, defeated the Romans, and 
marched into the city. The Romans fled into 
the Capitol, and left the city in possession of 
the enemy. The Gauls climbed the Tarpeian 
rock in the night, and would have taken the 
Capitol had not the Romans been awakened 
by the cackling of some geese, upon which 
they roused themselves and repelled the 
enemy. 

Briareus. A famous giant, son of Coelus and 
Terra. He had a hundred hands and fifty 
heads, and was also called Aegeon. 

Briseis. Daughter of Briseus, of Lyrnessus, fell 
into the hands of Achilles, but was seized by 
Agamemnon Hence arose the dire feud 
between the two heroes. 

Britannia. The island of England and Scotland, 
which was also called Albion. Hibernia, or 
Ireland, is usually spoken of as a separate 
island, but is sometimes included under the 
general name of the Insulae Britannicae, 
which also comprehended the smaller islands 
around the coast of Great Britain. 

Britannicus. Son of the emperor Claudius and 
Messalina, was born a. d. 42. Agrippina, the 
second wife of Claudius, induced the emperor 
to adopt her own son, and give him pre- 
cedence over Britannicus. This son, the 
emperor Nero, ascended the throne in 54, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



57 



and caused Britannicus to be poisoned in the 
following year. 

Brundusium or Brundisium (Brzndisz). A town 
in Calabria, on a small bay of the Adriatic, 
forming an excellent harbor, to which the 
place owed its importance. The Appia Via 
terminated at Brundusium, and it was the 
usual place of embarkation for Greece and 
the East. It was conquered and colonized 
by the Romans, b. c. 245. The poet Pacuvius 
was born at this town, and Vergil died here 
on his return from Greece, b. c. 19. 

Brutus, L. Junius. Son of M. Junius and Tar- 
quinia. When Lucretia killed herself, b. c. 
509, in consequence of the brutality of Tar- 
quin, Brutus snatched the dagger from the 
wound and swore upon the reeking blade im- 
mortal hatred to the royal family, and made 
the people swear they would submit no longer 
to the kingly authority. His sons conspired 
to restore the Tarquins, and were tried and 
condemned before their father, who himself 
attended their execution. Mr. John Howard 
Payne, the American dramatist, has written 
a tragedy of which Brutus is the hero. 

Brutus, Marcus Junius. Father of Caesar's mur- 
derer, followed the party of Marius, and was 
conquered by Pompey, by whose orders he 
was put to death. 

Brutus, Marcus Junius. The destroyer of Caesar, 
conspired, with many of the most illustrious 
citizens of Rome, against Caesar, and stabbed 



58 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



him in the senate-house. The tumult fol- 
lowing the murder was great, but the con- 
spirators fled to the Capitol, and, "by proclaim- 
ing freedom and liberty to the populace, for 
the time established tranquillity. Antony, 
however, soon obtained the popular ear, and 
the murderers were obliged to leave Rome. 
Brutus retired into Greece, where he gained 
many friends. He was soon pursued by An- 
tony, who was accompanied by the young 
Octavius. The famous battle of Philippi fol- 
lowed, in which Brutus and his friend Cassius, 
who commanded the left wing of the army, 
were totally defeated. Brutus fell on his own 
sword, b. c. 42, and was honored with a mag- 
nificent funeral by Antony. Plutarch relates 
that Caesar's ghost appeared to Brutus in his 
tent before the battle of Philippi, warning 
him of his approaching fall. Shakespeare, 
in his tragedy of Julius Caesar, makes An- 
tony speak of Brutus as " the noblest Roman 
of them all, 5 adding, in reference to his 
character : 

41 His life was gentle ; and the elements 
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up, 
And say to all the world, ' This was a man.' " 
Bucephalus. A horse of Alexander's, so fre- 
quently named by writers that the term has 
become proverbial. Alexander was the only 
person that could mount him, and he always 
knelt down for his master to bestride 
him. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



59 



Burgundiones or Burgundii. A powerful nation 
of Germany, dwelt originally between the 
Viadus {Oder) and the Vistula, and were 
of the same race as the Vandals or Goths. 
They were driven out of their original abodes 
by the Gepidae, and the greater part of them 
settled in the country on the Maine. In the 
fifth century they settled in Gaul, where they 
founded the powerful kingdom of Burgundy . 
Their chief towns were Geneva and Lyons. 

Byzantium {Constantinople). A town on the 
Thracian Bosporus, founded by the Megari- 
ans, b. c. 658, is said to have derived its -name 
from Byzas, the leader of the colony and the 
son of Poseidon (Neptune). A new city was 
built on its site, b. c. 330, by Constantine, 
who made it the capital of the empire, and 
changed its name into Constantinopolis. 

Cacus. A famous robber, son of Vulcan and 
Medusa, represented as a three-headed mon- 
ster vomiting flames. He resided in Italy, 
and the avenues of his cave were covered 
with human bones. When Hercules returned 
from the conquest of Geryon, Cacus stole 
some of his cows, and Hercules, discovering 
the theft, strangled Cacus in his cave. 

Cadmus. Son of Agenor, king of Phoenicia, and 
Telephassa, or Agriope, was ordered by his 
father to go in quest of his sister Europa, 
whom Jupiter had carried away. His search 
proving fruitless, he consulted the oracle of 



6o IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Apollo, and was told to build a city where he 
saw a heifer stop in the grass, and call the 
country around Boeotia. He found the heifer, 
as indicated by the oracle. Requiring water, 
he sent his companions to fetch some from a 
neighboring grove. The water was guarded 
by a dragon, who devoured those who were 
sent for it, and Cadmus, tired of waiting, 
went himself to the place. He attacked the 
dragon and killed it, sowing its teeth in the 
ground, on which a number of armed men 
rose out of the earth. Cadmus threw a stone 
among them, and they at once began fight- 
ing, and all were killed except five, who as- 
sisted him in building the city. Cadmus in- 
troduced the use of letters in Greece— the 
alphabet, as introduced by him, consisting of 
sixteen letters. 
Caduceus. A rod entwined at one end with two 
serpents. It was the attribute of Mercury, 
and was given to him by Apollo in exchange 
for the lyre. 

Caesar. A surname given to the Julian family 
in Rome. This name, after it had been dig- 
nified in the person of Julius Caesar and his 
successors, was given to the heir-apparent of 
the empire in the age of the Roman emperors. 
The first twelve emperors were distinguished 
by the name of Caesar. They reigned in this 
order — Julius Caesar, Augustus. Tiberius, 
Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitel- 
lius, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. Sue- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



6l 



tonius has written an exhaustive history of 
the Caesars. C. Julius Caesar, the first em- 
peror of Rome, was son of L. Caesar and Au- 
relia, the daughter of Cotta. He was de- 
scended, according to some accounts, from 
lulus, the son of Aeneas. His eloquence pro- 
cured him friends at Rome, and the generous 
manner in which he lived equally served to 
promote his interest. He was appointed for 
five years over the Gauls. Here he enlarged 
the boundaries of the Roman empire by con- 
quest, and invaded Britain, which till then 
was unknown to the Romans. The corrupt 
state of the Roman senate, and the ambition 
of Caesar and Pompey, caused a civil war. 
Neither of these celebrated Romans would 
endure a superior, and the smallest matters 
were grounds enough for unsheathing the 
sword. By the influence of Pompey a decree 
was passed to strip Caesar of his power. An- 
tony, as tribune, opposed this, and went to 
Caesar's camp with the news. On this Caesar 
crossed the Rubicon, which was the boundary 
of his province. The passage of the Rubicon 
was a declaration of war, and Caesar entered 
Italy with his army. Upon this Pompey left 
Rome and retired to Dyrrachium, and Caesar 
shortly afterwards entered Rome. He then 
went to Spain, where he conquered the parti- 
sans of Pompey, and on his return to Rome 
was declared dictator, and soon afterward 
consul. The two hostile generals met in the 



62 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



plains of Pharsalia, and a great battle ensued, 
b. c. 48. Pompey was defeated, and fled to 
Egypt, where he was slain. At length Caesar's 
glory came to an end. Enemies had sprung 
up around him, and a conspiracy, consisting 
of many influential Romans, was formed 
against him. Conspicuous among the con- 
spirators was Brutus, his most intimate friend, 
who, with others, assassinated him in the 
senate-house on the ides of March, b. c. 44, in 
the fifty-sixth year of his age. He wrote his 
Commentaries on the Gallic wars when the 
battles were fought. This work is admired 
for its elegance and purity of style. It was 
after his conquest over Pharnaces, king of 
Pontus, that he made use of the words, which 
have since become proverbial . vent, vidz, vici, 
illustrative of the activity of his operations. 
Shakespeare's tragedy of Julius Caesar, in 
the third act of which he is assassinated, 
uttering as his last words, " Et tu, Brute ! 
Then fall Caesar " — is devoted to the con- 
spiracy and its results, ending with defeat 
and death of Brutus and Cassius at Philippi. 

Calagurris {Calahorrd). A town of the Vascones 
in Hispania Tarraconensis near the Iberus. 
It was the birthplace of Quintilian. 

Calchas. The son of Thestor, was the wisest of 
the soothsayers among the Greeks at Troy. 
He died at Claros from grief on meeting 
with a soothsayer, Mopsas by name, who 
proved wiser than he. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



63 



Caligula. A Roman emperor, was son of Ger- 
manicus by Agrippina. He was proud, wan- 
ton, and cruel. He was pleased when disas- 
ters befell his subjects, and often expressed a 
wish that the Romans had but one head that 
he might have the pleasure of striking it off. 
He had a favorite horse made consul and 
adorned it with the most valuable trappings 
and ornaments. The tyrant was murdered, 
a. d. 41, in his twenty-ninth year, after a 
reign of three years and ten months. 

Callinus. The earliest Greek elegiac poet, prob- 
ably flourished about b. c. 700. 

Calliope. One of the Muses, daughter of Jupiter 
and Mnemosyne, who presided over eloquence 
and heroic poetry. 

Callirrhoe. Afterwards called Enneacrunus, or 
the Nine Springs, because its water was 
distributed by nine pipes, was the most cele- 
brated well in Athens, situated in the south- 
east part of the city. It still retains its 
ancient name Callirrhoe. 

Calpe {Gibraltar). A mountain in the south 
of Spain on the straits between the Atlantic 
and Mediterranean. This and Mount Abyla, 
opposite to it on the African coast, were 
called the Columns of Hercules. 

Calpurnia. Daughter of L. Calpurnius Piso, con- 
sul b. c. 58, and last wife of the dictator 
Caesar, to whom she was married in 59. 

Calydon. A city of Aetolia, where Oeneus, the 
father of Meleager, reigned. During the 



64 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



reign of Oeneus, Diana sent a wild boar to 
ravage the country on account of the neglect 
which had been shown of her divinity by the 
king. All the princes of the age assembled 
to hunt the Calydonian boar. Meleager killed 
the animal, and gave the head to Atalanta, 
of whom he was enamored. 

Calypso. One of the Oceanides, or one of the 
daughters of Atlas according to some writers. 
When Ulysses was shipwrecked on her coasts 
she received him with hospitality, and offered 
him immortality if he would remain with her 
as a husband, which he refused to do, and 
after seven years' delay he was permitted to 
depart from the island where Calypso reigned. 

Cambuni Montes. The mountains which sepa- 
rate Macedonia and Thessaly. 

Cambyses. King of Persia, was the son of Cyrus 
the Great. He conquered Egypt, and was 
so disgusted at the superstition of the Egyp- 
tians that he killed their god Apis and plun- 
dered their temples. 

Camillus, L. Furius. A celebrated Roman, 
called a second Romulus from the services he 
rendered his country. He was banished for 
distributing the spoils he had obtained at 
Veii. During his exile Rome was besieged 
by the Gauls under Brennus. The bedeged 
Romans then elected him Dictator, and he 
went to the relief of his country, which he 
delivered after it had been some time occu- 
pied by the enemy. He died b. c. 365. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



65 



Campania. A district of Italy, the name of which 
is probably derived from campus " a plain," 
separated from Latium by the* river Liris, 
and from Lucania at a later time by the river 
Silarus, though in the time of Augustus it 
did not extend farther south than the promon- 
tory of Minerva. In still earlier times the 
Ager Camp anus included only the country 
round Capua. 

Campus Martius. A large plain without the 
walls of Rome, where the Roman youth were 
instructed in athletic exercises and learned 
to throw the discus, hurl the javelin, etc. 

Canis. The constellation of the Great Dog. 
The most important star in this constellation 
was specially named Canis or Canicula, and 
also Sirius. The Dies Caniculares were as 
proverbial for the heat of the weather among 
the Romans as are the dog-days among our- 
selves. 

Caphareus (Capo d'Oro). A rocky and dangerous 
promontory on the southeast of Euboea, 
where the Greek fleet is said to have been 
wrecked on its return from Troy. 

Capitolinum. A celebrated temple and citadel 
at Rome on the Tarpeian rock. 

Cappadocia. A district of Asia Minor. 

Capra or Capella. The brightest star in the 
constellation of the Auriga or Charioteer , is 
said to have been originally the nymph or 
goat who nursed the infant Zeus (Jupiter) in 
Crete. 



66 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Capricornus (The Goat). A sign of the Zodiac, 
between the Archer and the Waterman, is 
said to have fought with Jupiter against the 
Titans. 

Capua {Capua). The chief city of Campania, 
either founded or colonized by the Etruscans. 

Caracalla. Son of the emperor Septimius Sev- 
erus, was notorious for his cruelties. He 
killed his brother Geta in his mother's arms, 
and attempted to destroy the writings of 
Aristotle. After a life made odious by his 
vices he was assassinated, a. d. 217, in the 
forty-third year of his age. The historian 
Gibbon calls him " the common enemy of 
mankind." 

Carthago {Carthage). A celebrated city of Africa, 
the rival of Rome, and for a long period the 
capital of the country, and mistress of Spain, 
Sicily, and Sardinia. The time of its founda- 
tion is unknown, but it seems to be agreed 
that it was built by Dido about 869 years be- 
fore the Christian era, or, according to some 
writers, 72 or 73 years before the foundation 
of Rome. It had reached its highest glory 
in the days of Hamilcar and Hannibal. 

Casca, P. Servilius. Tribune of the plebs, b. c. 
44, and one of Caesar's assassins. 

Caspium Mare (The Caspian Sea). A great salt- 
water lake in Asia. Probably at some remote 
period the Caspian was united both with the 
sea of Aral and with the Arctic Ocean. Both 
lakes have their surface considerably below 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



6 7 



that of the Euxine or Black Sea, the Caspian 
nearly 350 feet, and the Aral about 200 feet, 
and both are still sinking by evaporation. 

Cassandra. Daughter of Priam and Hecuba, 
was passionately loved by Apollo, who prom- 
ised to grant her whatever she might require, 
and she obtained from him the power of see- 
ing into futurity; but when she refused to 
return his love, Apollo decreed that her 
prophecies, though true, should never be be- 
lieved. She was allotted to Agamemnon in 
the division of the spoils of Troy, and was 
slain by Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife. 

Cassius, C. A celebrated Roman who became 
famous by being first quaestor to Crassus in 
his expedition against Parthia. He married 
Junia, the sisterof Brutus, and joined Brutus in 
the conspiracy formed to assassinate Caesar, 
after which she returned to Philippi with 
Brutus, and commanded one wing of the 
army in the famous battle fought there. On 
the defeat of his forces he ordered one of his 
freedmen to kill him, and he perished by the 
sword which had inflicted a wound on Caesar. 
He was called by Brutus 1 ' the last of all the 
Romans." 

Castor and Pollux. Were twin brothers, sons 
of Jupiter and Leda. Mercury carried 
them to Pallena, where they were educated. 
As soon as they arrived at manhood they 
embarked with Jason in quest of the Golden 
Fleece. In this expedition they evinced 



68 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



great courage. Pollux defeated and slew 
Amycus in the combat of the Cestus, and 
was afterward considered to be the god and 
patron of boxing and wrestling. Castor dis- 
tinguished himself in the management of 
horses. 

Catilina, L. Sergius. A celebrated Roman de- 
scended from a noble family. When he had 
squandered his fortune he secretly meditated 
the ruin of his country, and conspired with 
many Romans as dissolute as himself to extir- 
pate the senate, plunder the treasures, and 
set Rome on fire. This plot, known as the 
Catiline conspiracy, was unsuccessful. The 
history of it is written by Sallust. Catiline 
was killed in battle, b. c. 63. 

Cato, Marcus. Was great-grandson of the 
censor Cato. The early virtues that ap- 
peared in his childhood seemed to promise 
that he would become a great man. He 
was austere in his morals and a strict fol- 
lower of the tenets of the Stoics. His fond- 
ness for candor was so great that his veracity 
became proverbial. In the Catilinian con- 
spiracy he supported Cicero, and was the 
chief cause of the capital punishment which 
was inflicted on some of the conspirators. 
He stabbed himself after reading Plato's 
treatise on the immortality of the soul, b. c. 
46, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. Addi- 
son has familiarized us with a portion of the 
history of the great Roman in his noble 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



6 9 



tragedy of "Cato," in which occurs— in the 
fifth act — the well-known soliloquy on the 
immortality of the soul. Pope wrote the 
prologue to the play, which he commences 
with the familiar couplet : 

" To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, 
To raise the genius, and to mend the heart." 

Caucasus, Caucasii Montes {Caucasus). A great 
chain of mountains in Asia, extending from 
the eastern shore of the Pontus Euxinus 
{Black Sea) to the western shore of the 
Caspian. 

Cecrops. A hero of the Pelasgic race, said to 
have been the first king of Attica. Cecrops 
is said to have founded Athens, the citadel 
of which was called Cecropia after him, to 
have divided Attica into twelve communities, 
and to have introduced the first elements of 
civilized life; he instituted marriage, abol- 
ished bloody sacrifices, and taught his sub- 
jects how to worship the gods. 

Celsus. A physician in the age of Tiberius, who 
wrote eight books on medicine, besides trea- 
tises on agriculture, rhetoric, and military 
affairs. 

Celtae. A mighty race, which occupied the 
greater part of western Europe in ancient 
times. The most powerful part of the na- 
tion appears to have taken up its abode in 
the center of the country, called after them 
Gallia, between the Garumna in the south 
and the Sequana and Matrona in the north. 



7 o 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



From this country they spread over various 
parts of Europe. 
Censorinus. Author of an extant treatise en- 
titled De Die Natali, which treats of the 
generation of man, of his natal hour, of the 
influence of the stars and genii upon his 
career, and discusses the various methods 
employed for the division and calculation of 
time. 

Centauri. A people of Thessaly, half men and 
half horses. They were the offspring of 
Centaurus and Stilbia. 

Centumviri. The members of a court of justice 
at Rome. Though originally 105 in number, 
they were known as Centumvirs, and this 
name they retained when they were increased 
to 180. 

Cephalus. Son of Deion and Diomede, and hus- 
band of Procris or Procne. He was beloved 
by Eos (Aurora), but, as he rejected her ad- 
vances from love to his wife, she advised 
him to try the fidelity of Procris. The 
goddess then metamorphosed him into a 
stranger, and sent him with rich presents 
to his house. Procris was tempted by the 
brilliant presents to yield to the stranger, 
who then discovered himself to be her hus- 
band, whereupon she fled in shame to 
Crete. 

Cepheus. King of Aethiopia, son of Belus, hus- 
band of Cassiopea, and father of Andromeda, 
was placed among the stars after his death. 



BRIEFLY .DESCRIBED. 



71 



Cerberus. A dog of Pluto. According to Hesiod 
he had fifty heads, but according to other my- 
thologists he had three only. He was placed 
at the entrance to the infernal regions to pre- 
vent the living from entering, and the inhab- 
itants of the place from escaping. 

Ceres. The goddess of corn and harvests, was 
daughter of Saturn and Vesta. She was 
the mother of Proserpine, who was carried 
away* by Pluto while she was gathering 
flowers. 

Chaeronea. A city of Boeotia celebrated for a 
great battle fought there in which the Athe- 
nians were defeated by the Boeotians, b. c. 
447, and for the victory which Philip of 
Macedonia obtained there over the confed- 
erate armies of the Thebans and Athenians, 
b. c. 338. It was the birthplace of Plutarch. 
Milton in one of his sonnets alludes to the 
place : 

" That dishonest victory, 
At Chaeronea fatal to liberty, 
Killed with report that old man eloquent." 

Isocrates is the old man eloque?it thus 
alluded to. 

Chalcidice. A peninsula in Macedonia, between 
the Thermaic and Strymonic gulfs. 

Chaldaea. In the narrower sense, was a province 
of Babylonia, about the lower course of 
the Euphrates, the border of the Arabian 
Desert, and the head of the Persian Gulf. 
In a wider sense, the term is applied to the 



72 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



whole of Babylonia, and even to the Baby- 
. Ionian empire, on account of the supre- 
macy which the Chaldeans acquired at 
Babylon. 

Chaos. The vacant and infinite space which 
existed, according to the ancient cosmogonies, 
previous to the creation of the world, and 
out of which the gods, men, and all things 
arose. Chaos was called the mother of 
Erebos, and Night. 

Charites. Called Gratiae by the Romans, and 
by us the Graces, were the personification 
of Grace and Beauty. The Charites are 
usually described as the daughters of Zeus 
(Jupiter), and as three in number, namely, 
Euphrosyne, Aglaia, and Thalia. The names 
of the Charites sufficiently express their 
character. They were the goddesses who 
enhanced the enjoyments of life by refine- 
ment and gentleness. 

Charon. A god of the infernal regions, son of 
Nox and Erebus, who conducted the souls of 
the dead in a boat over the rivers Styx and 
Acheron. 

Cheops. A king of Egypt, after Rhampsinitus, 
famous for building pyramids. 

Chersonesus {Peninsula of the Darda7ielles or 
of Gallipoli). Usually called at Athens 
The Chersonesus , without any distinguish- 
ing epithet, the narrow slip of land, 420 stadia 
in length, running between the Hellespont 
and the gulf of Melas, and connected with 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



73 



the Thracian mainland by an isthmus, which 
was fortified by a wall, 36 stadia across, near 
Cardia. 

Chimaera. A celebrated monster which con- 
tinually vomited flames. It was destroyed 
by Bellerophon. 

Chios and Chius (Sew). One of the largest and 
most famous islands of the Aegean Sea, lay 
opposite to the peninsula of Clazomenae on 
the coast of Ionia. 

Chiron. A centaur, half a man and half a horse, 
son of Philyra and Saturn. He was famous 
for his knowledge of music, medicine, and 
shooting, and taught mankind the use of 
plants and medicinal herbs. 

Chryseis. The daughter of Chryses, priest of 
Apollo at Chryse. She was captured by the 
Greeks on the taking of Syrnessus and was 
given to Agamemnon. Her father, however, 
came and ransomed her. 

Cicero, M. T. Born at Arpinum, was son of a 
Roman knight and lineally descended from 
the ancient kings of the Sabines. In youth 
he displayed many abilities, and was taught 
philosophy by Philo, and law by Mutius Scae- 
vola. He applied himself with great dili- 
gence to the study of oratory and was dis- 
tinguished above all the speakers of his 
time in the Roman Forum. He signalized 
himself in opposing Catiline, whom he pub- 
licly accused of treason against the state, 



74 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



and whom he drove from the city. After 
a number of vicissitudes of fortune he was 
assassinated, b. c. 43, at the age of sixty- 
three. 

Cimbri. A Celtic people, probably of the same 

race as the Cymry. 
Cimon. Father of the celebrated Miltiades, was 

secretly murdered by order of the sons of 

Pisistratus. 

Cincinnatus, L. Q. A celebrated Roman, who 
was informed as he plowed in the fields that 
the senate had chosen him to be Dictator. 
On this he left the plow and repaired to the 
field of battle, where his countrymen were 
opposed by the Volsci and Aequi. He con- 
quered the enemy, and entered Rome in 
triumph. 

Cinna. L. Cornelius Cinna, the famous leader 
of the popular party during the absence of 
Sulla in the East. 

Cinyras. Son of Apollo, king of Cyprus, and 
priest of the Paphian Aphrodite (Venus). 
By his own daughter, Myrrha, or Smyrna, 
he became the father of Adonis. Hence 
we find in the poets Myrrha called Cinyreia 
virgo and Adonis Cinyreius jnve?iis. 

Circe. A daughter of Sol and Perseis, celebrated 
for her knowledge of magic and venomous 
herbs. She was carried by her father to an 
island called Aeaea. Ulysses on his return 
from the Trojan war visited her coasts, and 
his companions were changed by her potions 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



75 



into swine. Ulysses, who was fortified 
against enchantments by an herb which he 
had received from Mercury, demanded of 
Circe the restoration of his companions to 
their former shape; she complied with his 
wishes, and eventually permitted him to de- 
part from her island. 

Claudia Gens. Patrician and plebeian. The 
patrician Claudii were of Sabine origin, and 
came to Rome in b. c. 504, when they were 
received among the patricians. They were 
noted for their pride and haughtiness, their 
disdain for the laws, and their hatred of the 
plebeians. They bore various surnames. 
The plebeian Claudii were divided into 
several families, of which the most cele- 
brated was that of Marcellus. 

Claudianus. A celebrated poet, in the age of 
Honorius, who is considered by some writers 
to equal Vergil in the majestic character of 
his style. 

Claudius, T. Drusus Nero. Son of Drusus, be- 
came emperor of Rome after the death of 
Caligula. He went to Britain, and obtained 
a triumph for victories achieved by his gen- 
erals. He suffered himself to be governed 
by favorites whose avarice plundered the 
state and distracted the provinces. He was 
poisoned by Agrippina, who wished to raise 
her son Nero to the throne. 

Clearchus. A Spartan who distinguished him- 
self in several important commands during 



7 6 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



the latter part of the Peloponnesian war, and 
at the close of it persuaded the Spartans to 
send him as a general to Thrace, to protect 
the Greeks in that quarter against the Thra- 
cians. But having been recalled by the 
ephors, and refusing to obey their orders, 
he was condemned to death. He thereupon 
crossed over to Cyrus, collected for him a 
large force of Greek mercenaries, and 
marched with him into Upper Asia, b. c. 401, 
in order to dethrone his brother Artaxerxes, 
being the only Greek who was aware of the 
prince's real object. After the battle of 
Cunaxa and the death of Cyrus, Clearchus 
and the other Greek generals were made 
prisoners by the treachery of Tissaphernes, 
and were put to death. 
Cleon. The son of Cleaenetus, was originally a 
tanner at Athens. He managed to bring 
himself prominently before the people in 
b. c. 429, and to make himself a person of 
great political importance for some six years 
of the Peloponnesian war (428-422); but both 
Aristophanes and Thucydides speak of him 
as a vile, unprincipled demagogue. Aris- 
tophanes made many attacks upon him in 
his plays, especially in his comedy "The 
Knights." 

Cleopatra. Queen of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy 
Auletes, was celebrated for her beauty. An- 
tony became enamored of her and married 
her, ignoring his vows to Octavia, the sister 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



77 



of Augustus. He gave her the greatest part 
of the eastern provinces of the Roman empire. 
This caused a rupture between Augustus and 
Antony, and these two famous men met at 
Actium, when Cleopatra, by flying with sixty 
ships, ruined the battle for Antony, and he 
was defeated. Cleopatra destroyed herself 
by applying an asp to her breast. 
Clio. The first of the Muses, daughter of Jupi- 
ter and Mnemosyne. She presided over 
history. 

Cloacina. A goddess of Rome who presided 
over the Cloacae, which were large recepta- 
cles for the filth of the whole city. 

Cloelia. A Roman virgin, one of the hostages 
given to Porsena, who escaped from the 
Etruscan camp and swam across the Tiber to 
Rome. She was sent back by the Romans 
to Porsena, who was so struck with her 
gallant deed that he not only set her at 
liberty, but allowed her to take with her a 
part of the hostages. 

Ciotho. The youngest of the three Parcae, who 
were the daughters of Jupiter and Themis, 
was supposed to preside over the moment of 
birth. She held the distaff in her hand and 
spun the thread of life. 

Clusius. A surname of Janus, whose temple was 
closed in peace. 

Clymene. Daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, 
and wife of Iapetus, to whom she bore Atlas 
and Prometheus. 



78 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Clytemnestra. A daughter of Tyndarus. king 
of Sparta, and Leda, married Agamemnon, 
king of Argos, during whose absence in the 
Trojan war she fell in love with his cousin 
Aegy sthus. On the return of Agamemnon, 
Clytemnestra murdered him, as well as 
Cassandra, whom he had brought with him. 
After this Clytemnestra ascended the throne 
of Argos. In the meantime her son Orestes, 
after an absence of seven years, returned, re- 
solved to avenge the death of his father Aga- 
memnon. On an occasion when Aegysthus 
and Clytemnestra repaired to the Temple of 
Apollo, Orestes, with his friend Pylades, 
killed them. 

Clytia or Clytie. A daughter of Oceanus and 
Tethys, beloved by Apollo. She was changed 
into a sunflower. 

Cnidus or Gnidus. A celebrated city of Asia 
Minor, on the promontory of Tri opium on the 
coast of Caria. 

Codes, P. Horatius. A celebrated Roman who 
alone opposed the whole army of Porsenna at 
the head of a bridge while his companions 
were cutting off the communication with the 
other shore. When the bridge was destroyed, 
Codes, though wounded by the darts of the 
enemy, leapt into the Tiber and swam across 
it, armed as he was. For his heroism a 
brazen statue was raised to him in the Temple 
of Vulcan. Lord Macaulay, who has written 
a noble poem on this heroic deed of Horatius 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



79 



Codes, says, ' ' There are several versions of 
the story, and these versions differ from each 
other in points of no small importance." Ac- 
cording to his version Horatius had two com- 
panions who stood by his side defending the 
bridge ; these were Spurius Lartius and Her- 
minius. The final quatrain of the poem re- 
cords how — 

" With weeping and with laughter 
Still is the story told, 
How well Horatius kept the bridge, 
In the brave days of old." 

Codrus. The last king of Athens, son of Melan- 
thus. When the Heraclidae made war 
against Athens, the oracle said that the 
victory would be granted to that nation 
whose king was killed in battl-e. The Hera- 
clidae on hearing this gave orders to spare 
the life of Codrus, but the patriotic king dis- 
guised himself, and, engaging with one of the 
enemy, was killed. The Athenians obtained 
the victory, and Codrus was regarded as the 
savior of his country. 

Coelus or Uranus. An ancient deity supposed 
to be the father of Saturn, Oceanus, and 
Hyperion. 

Colchis or Colchos. A country of Asia famous 
for the expedition of the Argonauts, and as 
being the birthplace of Medea. 

Collatinus, L. Tarquinius. A nephew of Tar- 
quin the Proud. He married Lucretia. He, 
with Brutus, drove the Tarquins from Rome. 



80 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Colonia Agrippina, or Agrippinensis {Cologne on 
the Rhine). Originally the chief town of 
the Ubii, and called Oppidum, or Civitas 
Ubiorttm, was a place of small importance 
till a. d. 51, when a Roman colony was 
planted in the town by the emperor Cladius, 
at the instigation of his wife Agrippina, who 
was born here, and from whom it derived its 
new name. It soon became a large and 
flourishing city, and was the capital of Lower 
Germany. 

Colossus. A celebrated brazen image at Rhodes, 
which was considered to be one of the seven 
wonders of the world. It was 105 Greek 
feet in height, and cost 300 talents. It be- 
strode the entrance to the smaller harbor of 
Rhodes. 

Commodus, L. Aurelius Antoninus. Son of M. 

Antoninus, succeeded his father in the 
Roman empire. He was naturally cruel and 
fond of indulging his licentious propensities. 
Desirous of being likened to Hercules, he 
adorned his shoulders with a lion's skin, and 
carried a knotted club in his hand. He 
fought with the gladiators, and boasted of 
his skill in killing wild beasts in the amphi- 
theater. He was strangled by a wrestler in 
the thirty-first year of his age, a. d. 192. 

Comus. The god of revelry, feasting, and noc- 
turnal amusements. He is represented as a 
drunken young man with a torch in his hand. 

Concordia. The goddess of peace and concord 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



81 



at Rome, to whom Camillus raised a temple 

in the Capitol. 
Confluentes (Coblentz). A town in Germany, at 

the confluence of the Moselle and the Rhine. 
Confucius. A Chinese philosopher, as much 

honored among his countrymen as if he 

had been a monarch. He died about b. c. 

499- 

Conon. A famous general of Athens, son of 
Timotheus. He was made governor of all 
the islands of the Athenians, and was de- 
feated in a naval battle by Lysander. He 
defeated the Spartans near Cnidos, when 
Pisander, the enemy's admiral, was killed. 
He died in prison b. c. 393. 

Consentes Dii. The twelve Etruscan gods who 
formed the council of Jupiter, consisting of 
six male and six female divinities. We do 
not know the names of all of them, but it is 
certain that Juno, Minerva, Summanus, 
Vulcan, Saturn, and Mars were among them. 

Constantia. A granddaughter of the great 
Constantine, who married the Emperor 
Gratian. 

Constantinopolis {Constantinople). Built on the 
site of the ancient Byzantium, by Constantine 
the Great, who called it after his own name, 
and made it the capital of the Roman empire, 

Constantinus. Surnamed the Great, from the 
greatness of his exploits, was son of Constan- 
tius. It is said that as he was going to fight 
against Maxentius, one of his rivals, he saw 



82 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



a cross in the sky with the inscription In hoc 
vince. From this he became a convert to 
Christianity, ever after adopting a cross for 
his standard. He founded a city where old 
Byzantium formerly stood, and called it Con- 
stantinopolis. There he kept his court, and 
made it the rival of Rome in population and 
magnificence. He died a. d. 337, after a reign 
of thirty-one years of the greatest glory. 
Constantius Chlorus. Son of Eutropius, and 
father of the great Constantine. He obtained 
victories in Britain and Germany. He be- 
came the colleague of Galerius on the abdica- 
tion of Diocletian, and died a. d. 306, bearing 
the reputation of being brave, humane, and 
benevolent. 

Consul. A magistrate at Rome with regal 
authority for the space of a year. There 
were two consuls, who were annually chosen 
in the Campus Martius. The first two were 
L. Jun. Brutus and L. Tarquinius Collatinus. 

Corduba (Cordova). One of the largest cities in 
Spain, and the capital of Baetica, on the 
right bank of Baetis ; made a Roman colony 
b. c. 152 ; birthplace of the two Senecas and 
of Lucan. 

Corfinium. Chief town of the Peligni in Sam- 
nium, strongly fortified, and memorable as 
the place which the Italians in the Social 
war destined to be the new capital of Italy in 
place of Rome, on which account it was 
called Italica. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



83 



Corinna. A celebrated woman of Thebes, whose 
father was Archelodorus. It is said that she 
obtained a poetical prize five times against 
the competitorship of Pindar. 

Corinthiacus Isthmus. Often called simply the 
Isthmus, lay between the Corinthian and 
Saronic Gulfs, and connected the Pelopon- 
nesus with the mainland, or Hellas proper. 
In its narrowest part it was forty stadia, or 
five Roman miles across. Four unsuccessful 
attempts were made to dig a canal across the 
Isthmus, namely, by Demetrius Poliorcetes, 
Julius Caesar, Caligula, and Nero. 

Corinthus. Called in Homer Ephyra, a city on 
the above-mentioned Isthmus. It had two 
harbors — Cenchreae on the east or Saronic 
Gulf, and Lechaeum on the west or Cryssaean 
Gulf. Its favorable position, between two 
seas, raised Corinth in very early times to 
great commercial prosperity, and made it the 
emporium of the trade between Europe and 
Asia. At Corinth the first triremes were 
built ; and the first sea-fight on record was 
between the Corinthians and their colonists, 
the Corcyraeans. 

Coriolanus. The surname of C. Martius, from 
his victory over Corioli. After a number of 
military exploits, and many services to his 
country, he was refused the consulship. He 
was banished, and went to the Volsci, where 
he met with a gracious reception from Tullus 
Aufidius, whom he advised to make war 



84 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



against Rome, marching with the Volsci as 
general. His approach alarmed the Romans, 
who sent his mother and his wife to meet him 
to appease his resentment against his coun- 
trymen, which with difficulty they succeeded 
in doing. Shakespeare has made the history 
of Coriolanus the subject of the tragedy en- 
titled Coriolanns, which concludes with the 
assassination of the hero by Tullus Aufidius 
and his attendants. 

Cornelia. A daughter of Scipio Africanus, fa- 
mous for her learning and virtues, and as 
being the mother of the Gracchi, Tiberius and 
Caius Gracchus. Her husband was T. Sem- 
pronius Gracchus. 

Cornelia Gens. The most distinguished of all 
the Roman gentes. All its great families 
belonged to the patrician order. The names 
of the most distinguished patrician families 
are : Cethegus, Cinna, Cossus, Dolabella, 
Lentulus, Scipio, and Sulla. The names of 
the plebeian families are Balbus and Gallus. 

Corsica. Called Cyrnus by the Greeks, a moun- 
tainous island in the Mediterranean, north of 
Sardinia. 

Corvus, M. Valerius. One of the most illustrious 
men in the early history of Rome. He 
obtained the surname of Corvus, or " Raven," 
because,, w T hen serving as military tribune 
under Camillus, b» c. 349, he accepted the 
challenge of a gigantic Gaul to single combat, 
and was assisted in the conflict by a raven 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



85 



which settled upon his helmet, and flew in 
the face of the barbarian. 

Cotta, Aurelius C. Consul b. c. 75 with L. 
Octavius, was one of the most distinguished 
orators of his time, and is introduced by- 
Cicero as one of the speakers in the De 
Oratore and the De Natura Deorum. 

Crassus, M. Licinius. A celebrated Roman, 
who, by educating slaves and selling them, 
became very wealthy. He was made consul 
with Pompey, and was afterward censor, and 
formed one of the first triumvirate, his associ- 
ates in it being Pompey and Caesar. In the 
hope of enlarging his possessions he left 
Rome, crossed the Euphrates, and hastened 
to make himself master of Parthia. He was 
met by Surena, the Parthian general, and in 
the battle which ensued 20,000 of the Ro- 
mans were killed and 10,000 made prisoners. 
Crassus surrendered, and was put to death 
b. c 53. 

Cratinus. One of the most celebrated of the 
Athenian poets of the old comedy, born b. c. 
519. He gave the old comedy its peculiar 
character, and did not, like Aristophanes, 
live to see its decline. 

Creon. King of Corinth, was son of Sisyphus. 
He promised his daughter Glauce to Jason, 
who had repudiated Medea. To revenge her- 
self on her rival, Medea sent her a present of 
a dress covered with poison. Glauce put it 
on, and was seized with sudden pain. Her 



86 1000. CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



body took fire, and she expired in the greatest 
agony. The house in which she was, was also 
consumed, and Creon and his family shared 
Glauce's fate. 
Creon. King of Thebes, whose territories were 
ravaged by the Sphinx. Creon offered his 
crown to anyone who would explain the 
enigmas proposed by the Sphinx. Oedipus 
solved the riddles, and ascended the throne 
of Thebes. 

Creophylus. One of the earliest epic poets, 
said to have been the friend or son-in-law 
of Homer. 

Creta {Candid). One of the largest islands in 
the Mediterranean Sea, about 160 miles in 
length, and from thirty-five to six miles in 
breadth. 

Croesus. The fifth and last of the Mermnadae, 
who reigned in Lydia, was the son of Alyat- 
tes, and was considered the richest man in 
the world. His court was an asylum for 
learning, and Aesop, the famous fable writer, 
with other learned men, lived under his 
patronage. "As rich as Croesus" has be- 
come a proverb. 

Cronus. See Saturnus. 

Cupido. God of love, son of Jupiter and Venus, 
is represented as a winged boy, naked, armed 
with a bow and arrows. On gems and orna- 
ments he is represented generally as amusing 
himself with some childish diversion. Cupid, 
like the rest of the gods, assumed different 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



87 



shapes, and we find him in the Aeneid putting 
on, at the request of his mother, the form of 
Ascanius, and going to Dido's court, where 
he inspired the queen with love. 

Curtius, M. A Rom'an who devoted himself to 
the service of his country, about b. c. 360, 
by leaping, on horseback and fully armed, 
into a huge gap in the earth at the com- 
mand of the oracle. 

Curtius Rufus, Q. The Roman historian of Alex- 
ander the Great, whose date is uncertain. 
His history of Alexander consisted of ten 
books, but the first two are lost, and the 
remaining eight are not without consider- 
able gaps. It is written in a pleasing though 
somewhat declamatory style. 

Cybele. A goddess, daughter of Coelus and 
Terra, and wife of Saturn. She is supposed 
to be the same as Ceres, Rhea, Ops, Vesta, 
etc. According to Diodorus she was the 
daughter of a Lydian prince. On her birth 
she was exposed on a mountain, where she 
was tended and fed by wild beasts, receiving 
the name of Cybele from the mountain where 
her life had been preserved. 

Cyclades. A group of islands in the Aegean Sea, 
so called because they lay in a circle around 
Delos, the most important of them. 

Cyclopes. A race of men of gigantic stature, 
supposed to be the sons of Coelus and Terra 
They had only one eye, which was in the 
center of the forehead. According to Hesiod 



88 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



they were three in number, and named Arges, 
Brontes, and Steropes. 

Cynossema {Dog's Tomb). A promontory in the 
Thracian Chersonesus near Madytus, so 
called because it was supposed to be the 
tomb of Hecuba, who had been previously 
changed into a dog. 

Cynthus. A mountain of Delos, celebrated as 
the birthplace of Apollo and Diana, who 
were hence called Cynthius and Cynthia re- 
spectively. 

Cyprus. A large island in the Mediterranean, 
south of Cilicia and west of Syria, about 140 
miles in length, and 50 miles in its greatest 
breadth. 

Cyrus. A king of Persia, son of Cambyses, and 
Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of 
Media. Xenophon has written the life of 
Cyrus, and delineates him as a brave and 
virtuous prince, and often puts in his mouth 
many of the sayings of Socrates. 

Cyrus. The Younger. - The son of Darius 
Nothus and the brother of Artaxerxes, the 
latter succeeding to the throne at the death 
of Nothus. Cyrus was appointed to the com- 
mand of Lydia and the sea-coasts, where he 
fomented rebellion and levied troops under 
various pretenses. At length he took the 
field with an army of ioo.ooo Barbarians 
and 13,000 Greeks under the command of 
Clearchus. Artaxerxes met him with 900,000 
men near Cunaxa. The engagement ended 




Calliope. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



89 



fatally for Cyrus, who was killed, b. c. 
401. 

Cyzicus. One of the most ancient and powerful 
of the Greek cities in Asia Minor, stood upon 
an island of the same name in the Propontis 
(Sea of Marmora). This island lay close 
to the shore of Mysia, to which it was united 
by two bridges, and afterwards. (under Alex- 
ander the Great) by a mole, which has ac- 
cumulated to a considerable isthmus. 

Dacia. A Roman province, lay between the 
Danube and the Carpathian Mountains, 
and comprehended the modern Transyl- 
vania, Wallachia, Moldavia, and part of 
Hungary. 

Dactyli. Fabulous beings, to whom the discov- 
ery of iron, and the art of working it by 
means of fire, was ascribed. 

Daedalus. An Athenian, who was the most in- 
genious artist of his age ; he was the inventor 
of the wedge and many other mechanical in- 
struments. He made a famous labyrinth for 
Minos, king of Crete, but afterward, incurring 
the displeasure of Minos, he ordered him to 
be confined in the labyrinth. Here he made 
himself wings with feathers and wax, and 
fitted them to his body, adopting the same 
course with his son Icarus, who was the com- 
panion of his confinement. They mounted 
into the air, but the heat of the sun melted 
the wax on the wings of Icarus, and he fell 



90 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



into the ocean, which after him has been 
called the Icarian Sea. The father alighted 
safely at Cumae, where he built a temple to 
Apollo. 

Damascus. One of the most ancient cities of 
the world, mentioned as existing in the time 
of Abraham (Gen. xiv. 15), stood in the dis- 
trict afterwards called Coele-Syria, upon 
both banks of the river Chrysorrhoas or 
Bardines {Bur add). The situation of the 
city is one of the finest on the globe. 

Damo. A daughter of Pythagoras and Theano, 
to whom Pythagoras entrusted his writings, 
and forbade her to give them to anyone. 
This command she strictly observed, although 
she was in extreme poverty and received 
many requests to sell them. 

Damocles. A Syracusan, one of the courtiers 
of Dionysius the elder. Damocles, having 
extolled the great felicity of Dionysius, was 
invited by him to a magnificent banquet, 
and was seated immediately below a naked 
sword which was suspended from the ceiling 
by a single horse-hair, a sight which ex- 
plained to him at once what the felicity of 
a tyrant really was. The story is alluded to 
by Horace (C. iii. 1, 17). 

Danae. Daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos, and 
Eurydice. Jupiter was enamored of her, 
and they had a son, with whom Danae was 
exposed in a boat on the sea by her father. 
The winds carried them to the island of Seri- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



9 1 



phus, where she was saved by some fisher- 
men, and carried to Polydectes, king of the 
place, whose brother, named Dictys, educated 
the child, who was called Perseus, and kindly 
treated the mother. 

Danaides. The fifty daughters of Danaiis, king 
of Argos, who married the fifty sons of their 
uncle Aegyptus. Danaiis had been told by 
the oracle that he would be killed by a son- 
in-law, and he made his daughters promise 
to slay their husbands immediately after 
marriage. All of them fulfilled their father's 
wishes except one, Hypermnestra, who spared 
her husband Lynceus. 

Danaiis. Son of Belus, and twin-brother of 
Aegyptus. Belus had assigned Libya to 
Danaiis, but the latter, fearing his brother 
and his brother's sons, fled with his fifty 
daughters to Argos. Here he was elected 
king by the Argives in place of Gelanor, the 
reigning monarch. The story of the murder 
of the fifty sons of Aegyptus by the fifty 
daughters of Danaiis (the Danaides) is given 
under Aegyptus. There was one exception 
to the murderous deed. The life of Lynceus 
was spared by his wife Hypermnestra ; and 
according to the common tradition he after- 
wards avenged the death of his brothers by 
killing his father-in-law, Danaiis. Accord- 
ing to the poets the Danaides were punished 
in Hades by being compelled everlastingly to 
pour water into a sieve. From Danaiis the 



92 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Argives were called Danai, which name, like 
that of the Argives, was often applied by the 
poets to the collective Greeks. 

Danubius {Danube, in German Donate). Called 
Ister by the Greeks, one of the chief rivers 
of Europe, rising in M. Abnoba, the Black 
Forest, and falling into the Black Sea after 
a course of 1770 miles. 

Daphne. A daughter of the River Peneus, or of 
the Ladon, and the goddess Terra, and of 
whom Apollo became enamored. Daphne 
fled to avoid the addresses of this god, and 
was changed into a laurel. 

Daphnis. A Sicilian shepherd, son of Hermes 
(Mercury) by a nymph, was taught by Pan to 
play on the flute, and was regarded as the 
inventor of bucolic poetry. 

Dardanus. A son of Jupiter, who killed his 
brother Jasius to obtain the kingdom of 
Etruria. He built the city of Dardania, and 
was reckoned to have been the founder of 
Troy. 

Dares. A priest of Hephaestus (Vulcan) at Troy, 
mentioned in the Iliad, to whom was ascribed 
in antiquity an Iliad, believed to be more 
ancient than the Homeric poems. 

Darius. A noble satrap of Persia, son of Hys- 
taspes, who usurped the crown of Persia after 
the death of Cambyses. Darius was twenty- 
nine years old when he ascended the throne, 
and he soon distinguished himself by his 
military prowess, He besieged Babylon, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



93 



which he took after a siege of twenty months. 
He died b. c. 485. 

Darius. The second king of Persia of that name, 
ascended the throne of Persia soon after the 
murder of Xerxes. He carried on many wars 
with success, aided . by his generals and his 
son Cyrus the younger. He died b. c. 404, 
after a reign of nineteen years. 

Darius. The third king of Persia of that name. 
He soon had to take the field against Alexan- 
der, who invaded Persia. Darius met him 
with an enormous army, which, however, was 
more remarkable for the luxuries indulged in 
by its leaders than for military courage. A 
battle was fought near the Granicus, in which 
the Persians were easily defeated, and an- 
other conflict followed near Issus, equally 
fatal to the Persians. Darius escaped and 
assembled another powerful army. The last 
and decisive battle was fought at Arbela, Al- 
exander being again victorious. When the 
fight was over Darius was found in his chariot 
covered with wounds and expiring, b. c. 331. 

Deiotarus. Tetrarch of Galatia, adhered to the 
Romans in their wars against Mithridates, 
and was rewarded by the senate with the 
title of king. In the civil war he sided with 
Pompey, and was present at the battle of 
Pharsalia, b. c. 48. He is remarkable as 
having been defended by Cicero before 
Caesar, in the house of the latter at Rome, 
in the speech {Pro Rege Deiotaro) still extant. 



94 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Deiphobus. Son of Priam and Hecuba, who mar- 
ried Helen after the death of Paris. On the 
capture of Troy by the Greeks he was slain 
and fearfully mangled by Menelaus. 

Dejanira. A daughter of Oeneus, king of Aetolia, 
Her beauty procured her many admirers, and 
her father promised to give her in marriage 
to him who should excel in a competition of 
strength. Hercules obtained the prize, and 
married Dejanira. 

Delos or Delus. The smallest of the islands 
called Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. Ac- 
cording to a legend it was called out of the 
deep by the trident of Poseidon (Neptune), 
but was a floating island until Zeus (Jupiter) 
fastened it by adamantine chains to the 
bottom of the sea, that it might be a secure 
resting-place to Leto (Latona) for the birth of 
Apollo and Artemis (Diana). Hence it be- 
came the most holy seat of the worship of 
Apollo. 

Delphi. A town of Phocis at the southwest side 
of Mount Parnassus. It was famous for a 
temple of Apollo, and for an oracle cele- 
brated in every age and country. 

Demeter. See Ceres. 

Demetrius. A son of Antigonus and Stratonice, 
surnamed Poliorcetes, destroyer of towns. 
At the age of twenty-two he was sent by his 
father against Ptolemy, who had invaded 
Syria. He was defeated at Gaza, but soon 
afterward obtained a victory. The greater 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



95 



part of his life was passed in warfare, his for- 
tunes undergoing many changes. He was 
distinguished for his fondness of dissipation 
when in dissolute society, and for military 
skill and valor in the battlefield. He died 
b. c. 286. 

Demetrius. Surnamed Soter, king of Syria. 
His father gave him as a hostage to the 
Romans. After the death of his father, Se- 
leucus Philopator, Antiochus Epiphanes 
usurped the throne of Syria, and was suc- 
ceeded by his son Antiochus Eupator. De- 
metrius procured his liberty, and established 
himself on the throne, causing Eupator to be 
put to death. 

Demetrius. Son of Soter, whom he succeeded 
after he had driven from the throne a usurper, 
Alexander Bala. Demetrius gave himself up 
to luxury, and suffered his kingdom to be 
governed by his favorites, thus becoming 
odious to his subjects. He was at last killed 
by the governor of Tyre, where he had fled 
for protection. 

Demetrius Phalereus. A disciple of Theophras- 
tus, who gained such influence over the Athe- 
nians by his eloquence and the purity of his 
manners, that he was elected decennial ar- 
chon, b. c. 317. He embellished the city, and 
rendered himself popular by his munificence, 
but his enemies plotted against him, and he 
fled to the court of Ptolemy Lagus, where he 
was received with kindness. He put an end 



g6 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



to his life by permitting an asp to bite him, 
b. c. 284. There are several others of the 
name of Demetrius of minor note. 
Democritus. A celebrated philosopher of Abdera, 
one of the disciples of Leucippus. He trav- 
eled over the greatest part of Europe, Asia, 
and Africa in quest of knowledge, and re- 
turned home in the greatest poverty. He in- 
dulged in continual laughter at the follies of 
mankind for distracting themselves with care 
and anxiety in the short term of their lives. 
He told Darius, who was inconsolable for the 
loss of his wife, that he would raise her from 
the dead if he could find three persons who 
had gone through life without adversity, 
whose names he might engrave on the queen's 
monument. He taught his disciples that 
the soul died with the body. He died in his 
109th year, b. c. 361. He has been termed 
the laughing philosopher . Dr. Johnson 
refers to this phase in his character in ■* The 
Vanity of Human Wishes " : 

" Once more, Democritus, arise on earth, 
With cheerful wisdom and instructive mirth, 
See motley life in modern trappings drest, 
And feed with varied fools th' eternal jest." 

Demosthenes. A celebrated Athenian, was the 
son of a rich blacksmith, and Cleobule. He 
became a pupil of Plato, and applied himself 
to study the orations of Isocrates. At the 
age of seventeen he gave early proof of his 
eloquence and abilities in displaying them 



V 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 97 

against his guardians, from whom he obtained 
restitution of the greater part of his estate. 
To correct the stammering of voice under 
which he labored he spoke with pebbles in 
his mouth. In the battle of Cheronaea he 
evinced cowardice, and saved his life by 
flight. He ended his life by taking poison, 
which he always carried in a quill, in the 
sixtieth year of his age, b. c. 322. 

Deucalion. A son of Prometheus, who married 
Pyrrha, the daughter of Epimetheus. He 
reigned over part of Thessaly, and in his age 
the earth was covered by a deluge of water, 
sent by Jupiter as a punishment for the im- 
piety of mankind. Deucalion constructed a 
ship, and by this means saved himself and 
Pyrrha. The ship, after being tossed on the 
waves for nine days, rested on Mount Parnas- 
sus. The deluge of Deucalion is supposed to 
have occurred b. c. 1503. 

Diana. The goddess of hunting. According to 
Cicero there were three of the name — viz., a 
daughter of Jupiter and Proserpine, a daugh- 
ter of Jupiter and Latona, and a daughter of 
Upis and Glauce. The second is the most 
celebrated, and all mention of Diana by 
ancient writers refers to her. To shun the 
society of men she devoted herself to hunting, 
and was always accompanied by a number of 
young women, who, like herself, abjured 
marriage. She is represented with a quiver, 
and attended by dogs. The most famous of 



9 8 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



her temples was that at Ephesus, which was 
one of the wonders of the world. 

Dictator. A magistrate at Rome, invested with 
regal authority. 

Dido. A daughter of Belus, king of Tyre, who 
married Sichaeus or Sicharbus, her uncle, 
who was priest of Hercules. Pygmalion 
killed Sichaeus to obtain his immense riches, 
and Dido, disconsolate at the loss of her hus- 
band, set sail with a number of Tyrians in 
quest of a place in which to form a settle- 
ment. A storm drove her fleet on the African 
coast, and she bought of the inhabitants as 
much land as could be inclosed by a bull's 
hide cut into thongs. On this land she built 
a citadel called Byrsa, which was the nucleus 
of a great city (Carthage). Her subjects 
wished her to marry again, but she refused, 
and erected a funeral pile, on which she 
ascended and stabbed herself to death. 

Diocletianus, Caius Valerius Jovius. A cele- 
brated Roman emperor, born of an obscure 
family in Dalmatia. He was first a common 
soldier, and by merit gradually rose to the 
position of a general, and at length he was 
invested with imperial power. He has been 
celebrated for his military virtues, and 
though he was naturally unpolished by educa- 
tion, yet he was the friend and patron of 
learning and genius. His cruelty, however, 
against the followers of Christianity has been 
severely reprobated. After reigning twenty- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



99 



one years in great prosperity, he abdicated, 
a. d. 304, and died nine years afterward, aged 
sixty-eight. 

Diodorus, Siculus. Celebrated as the author of 
a history of Egypt, Persia, Syria, Media, 
Greece, Rome, and Carthage. It was divided 
into forty books, of which only fifteen are 
extant, with a few fragments. 

Diodotus. A Stoic philosopher, and a teacher of 
Cicero, in whose house he died, b. c. 59. 

Diogenes. A celebrated Cynic philosopher of 
Sinope, banished from his country for coining 
false money. From Sinope he retired to 
Athens, where he became the disciple of 
Antisthenes, who was at the head of the 
Cynics. He dressed himself in the garment 
which distinguished the Cynics, and walked 
about the streets with a tub on his head, 
which served him as a house. His singu- 
larity, joined to his great contempt for riches, 
gained him reputation, and Alexander the 
Great visited the philosopher and asked him 
if there was anything in which he could 
oblige him. " Get out of my sunshine/' was 
the reply of the Cynic. Such independence 
pleased the monarch, who, turning to his 
courtiers, said, "Were I not Alexander, I 
would wish to be Diogenes." He was once 
sold as a slave, and his magnanimity so 
pleased his master that he made him the 
preceptor of his children and the guardian of 
his estates. He died, b. c. 324, in the ninety- 



Lof C. 



IOO IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



sixth year of his age. Trie life of Diogenes 
does not bear strict examination : while 
boasting of his poverty, he was so arrogant 
that it has been observed that his virtues 
arose from pride and vanity,, not from wisdom 
or sound philosophy. 
Diogenes Laertius. An Epicurean philosopher, 
born in Cilicia. He wrote the lives of the 
philosophers in ten books. This work con- 
tains an accurate account of the ancient 
philosophers, and is replete with anecdotes 
respecting them. It is compiled, however, 
without any plan, method, or precision, 
though neatness and conciseness are observ- 
able in it. 

Diomedes. A son of Tydeus and Deiphyle, was 
king of Aetolia, and one of the bravest of the 
Grecian chiefs in the Trojan war. He often 
engaged Hector and Aeneas, and obtained 
much military glory. 

Diomedes. A king of Thrace, son of Mars and 
Cyrene, who fed his horses with human flesh. 
Hercules destroyed Diomedes, and gave him 
to his own horses to be devoured. 

Dion. A Syracusan, son of Hipparina, famous 
for his power and abilities. He was related 
to Dionysiusthe First, who constantly advised 
with him, and at whose court he obtained 
great popularity. He was assassinated 354 
years before the Christian era by one of his 
familiar friends. His death was greatly 
lamented by the Syracusans, who raised a 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



1 O I 



monument to his memory. When Dionysius 
the Second ascended the throne he banished 
Dion, who collected some forces, and in three 
days made himself master of Syracuse. 
Dion Cassius. A native of Nicaea in Bithynia, 
who was raised to some of the greatest offices 
of state in the Roman empire. He is cele- 
brated as the writer of a history of Rome 
which occupied him twelve years in com- 
posing. 

Dion Chrysostomus. Surnamed the golden- 
mouthed, on account of his eloquence. There 
are extant eighty of his orations ; but 
they are rather essays on political, moral, 
and philosophical subjects than real ora- 
tions. 

Dione. A female Titan, by Zeus (Jupiter), by 
whom she became the mother of Aphrodite 
(Venus), who is hence called Dionaea, and 
sometimes even Dione. Hence Caesar is 
called Dionaeus Caesar, because he claimed 
descent from Venus. 

Dionysius the Elder. Was the son of Hermoc- 
rates. He signalized himself in the wars 
which the Syracusans carried on against 
Carthage, and made himself absolute at Syra- 
cuse. His tyranny rendered him odious to his 
subjects. He made a subterraneous cave in a 
rock in the form of a human ear, which was 
called "the Ear of Dionysius." The sounds 
of this cave were all directed to one common 
tympanum, which had a communication with 



102 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



an adjoining room, where Dionysius spent 
part of his time in listening to what was said 
by those whom he had imprisoned. He died 
in the sixty-third year of his age, b. c. 368, 
after a reign of thirty-eight years. 

Dionysius the Younger. Was son of Dionysius 
the First and Doris. He succeeded his 
father, and as soon as he ascended the throne 
he invited Plato to his court and studied 
under him for some time. Plato advised him 
to lay aside the supreme power, in which he 
was supported by Dion. This highly in- 
censed Dionysius, who banished Dion, who 
collected forces in Greece, and in three days 
rendered himself master of Syracuse, and 
expelled the tyrant, b. c. 357. Dionysius, 
however, recovered Syracuse ten years after- 
ward, but was soon compelled to retire again 
by the Corinthians under Timoleon. 

Dionysius of Halicarnassus. A historian who 
left his country and came to reside in Rome 
that he might study all the authors who had 
written Roman history. He was occupied 
during twenty-four years on his work on 
Roman antiquities, which consisted of twenty 
books. 

Dionysus. See Bacchus. 

Dioscuri. Sons of Zeus (Jupiter), the well- 
known heroes Castor and Pollux, called by 
the Greeks, Polydeuces. The two brothers 
were sometimes called Castores by the 
Romans. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



Dirce. A woman whom Lycus, king of Thebes, 
married after he had divorced Antiope. 
Amphion and Zethus, sons of Antiope, for 
cruelties she practiced on Antiope, tied Dirce 
to the tail of a wild bull, by which she was 
dragged over rocks and precipices till the gods 
pitied her and changed her into a fountain. 

Dis. Contracted from Dives, a name sometimes 
given to Pluto, and hence also to the lower 
world. 

Discordia. A malevolent deity, daughter of Nox, 
and sister to Nemesis, the Parcae, and Death. 
She was driven from heaven by Jupiter be- 
cause she sowed dissensions among the gods. 
At the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis she threw 
an apple among the gods, inscribed with the 
words Detur ftnlchriori, which was the pri- 
mary cause of the ruin of Troy, and of infinite 
misfortunes to the Greeks. 

Dodona. The most ancient oracle in Greece, sit- 
uated in Epirus, founded by the Pelasgians, 
and dedicated to Zeus (Jupiter). The re- 
sponses of the oracle were given from lofty 
oaks or beech trees. The will of the god 
was declared by the wind rustling through 
the trees, and in order to render the sounds 
more distinct, brazen vessels were suspended 
on the branches of the trees, which being 
set in motion by the wind came in contact 
with one another. These sounds were inter- 
preted in early times by men, but afterwards 
by aged women. 



104 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Dolabella, P. Corn. A Roman who married the 
daughter of Cicero. During the civjl wars he 
warmly espoused the cause of Julius Caesar, 
whom he accompanied at the famous battles 
of Pharsalia and Munda, 

Domitianus, Titus Flavius. Son of Vespasian 
and Flavia Domitilla, made himself emperor 
of Rome on the death of his brother Titus, 
whom, according to some accounts, he de- 
stroyed by poison. The beginning of his 
reign promised hopefully, but Domitian be- 
came cruel, and gave way to vicious indul- 
gences. In the latter part of his reign he 
became suspicious and remorseful. He was 
• assassinated a. d. 96, in his forty-fifth year. 

Donatus. A celebrated grammarian, who taught 
at Rome in the middle of the fourth century, 
and was the preceptor of St. Jerome. His 
most famous work is a system of Latin 
Grammar, which has formed the groundwork 
of most elementary treatises upon the same 
subject from his own time to the present day. 

Doris. Daughter of Oceanus and Thetis, wife 
of her brother Nereus, and mother of the 
Nereides. The Latin poets sometimes use 
the name of this divinity for the sea itself. 

Draco. A celebrated lawgiver of Athens, who 
made a code of laws, b. c. 623, which, on 
account of their severity, were said to be 
written in letters of blood. Hence the term 
Draconic applied to any punishment of 
exceptional severity. • 



o 

o 

CD 

P 
3 

a. 



CD 

*n 

CD 

W 
O 

G 

CD 
to 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. I05 

Drusus, M. Livius. A celebrated Roman, who 
renewed the proposals bearing on the Agra- 
rian laws, which had proved fatal to the 
Gracchi. 

Drusus, Nero Claudius. A son of Tiberius Nero 
and Livia. He distinguished himself in the 
wars in Germany and Gaul, and was honored 
with a triumph. There were other Romans 
of the same name, but of less distinction. 

Dryades. Nymphs that presided over the woods. 
Oblations of milk, oil, and honey were offered 
to them. Sometimes the votaries of the 
Dryads sacrificed a goat to them. 

Dryas. Father of the Thracian king Lycurgus, 
who is hence called Dryantides. 

Duilius. Consul b. c. 260, gained a victory over 
the Carthaginian fleet by means of grappling- 
irons, which drew the enemy's ships toward 
his, and thus changed the sea-fight into a 
land-fight. This was the first naval victory 
that the Romans had ever gained, and the 
memory of it was perpetuated by a column 
which was erected in the forum, and adorned 
with the beaks of the conquered ships (Col- 
umna Ro strata). 

Duumviri. Two patricians at Rome, first ap- 
pointed by Tarquin to keep the Sibylline 
books, which were supposed to contain the 
fate of the Roman empire. 

Eboracum or Eburacum ( York). A town of the 
Brigantes in Britain, made a Roman station 



Io6 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



by Agricola, and became the chief Roman 
settlement in the island. 

Echidna. A monster, half woman and half ser- 
pent, who became by Typhon the mother of 
the Chimaera, of the many-headed dog Orthus, 
of the hundred-headed dragon who guarded 
the apples of the Hesperides, of the Colchian 
dragon, of the Sphinx, of Cerberus (hence 
called Echidneus cam's), of Scylla, of Gorgon, 
of the Lernaean Hydra {Echidna Lemaea), 
of the eagle which consumed the liver of 
Prometheus, and of the Nemean lion. 

Echo. A daughter of the Air and Tellus, who 
was one of Juno's attendants. She was de- 
prived of speech by Juno, but was allowed 
to reply to questions put to her. 

Eeticn. King of the Placian Thebe, in Cilicia, 
and father of Andromache, the wife of 
Hector. 

Egeria. A nymph of Aricia in Italy, where 
Diana was particularly worshipped. Egeria 
was courted by Numa, and, according to 
Ovid, became his wife. Ovid says that she 
was disconsolate at the death of Numa, and 
that she wept so violently that Diana changed 
her into a fountain. Lord Byron, in the 
fourth canto of Childe Harold, has a beau- 
tiful invocation to the nymph, while describ- 
ing the fountain of Egeria : 



41 Here did'st thou sit in this enchanted cover, 
Egeria ! thy all heavenly bosom beating 
For the far footsteps of thy mortal lover; 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I07 



The purple midnight veil'd that mystic meeting" 
With her most starry canopy, and seating 
Thyself by thine adorer, what befell ? 
This cave was surely shap'd out for the greeting 
Of an enamor'd goddess, and the cell 
Haunted by holy love— the earliest oracle ! " 

Electra. A daughter of Agamemnon, king of 
Argos. She incited her brother Orestes to 
revenge his father's death by assassinating 
his mother Clytemnestra. Her adventures 
and misfortunes form the subject of one of 
the finest of the tragedies of Sophocles. The 
story has been treated also by Euripides. 

Eleusinia. A great festival observed by the 
Lacedaemonians, Cretans, and others every 
fourth year, and by the people of Athens 
every fifth year, at Eleusis in Attica, where 
it was introduced by Eumolpus, b. c. 1356. 
It was the most celebrated of all the religious 
ceremonies of Greece. The term Mysteries 
is often applied to it. The expression Eleu- 
'sinian mysteries, as applied to anything that 
is inexplicable, has become proverbial. 

Elysium. The Elysian Fields, a place in the in- 
fernal regions where, according to the an- 
cients, the souls of the virtuous existed after 
death. 

Empedocles. A philosopher, poet, and historian 
of Agrigentum in Sicily, who lived 444 b. c. 
He was a Pythagorean, and warmly espoused 
the belief in the transmigration of souls. 

Enceladus. Son of Tartarus and Ge (Earth), and 
one of the hundred-armed giants who made 



108 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

war upon the gods. He was killed by Zeus 
(Jupiter), who buried him under Mount 
Aetna. 

Endymion. A shepherd, son of Athlius and 
Calyce. He is said to have required of Jupi- 
ter that he might be always young. Diana 
saw him as he slept on Mount Latmos, and 
was so struck with his beauty that she came 
down from heaven every night to visit 
him. 

Ennius. An ancient poet, born in Calabria. He 
obtained the privileges of a Roman citizen on 
account of his learning and genius. Only 
fragments of his poems have been preserved. 

Eos. The name of Aurora among the Greeks. 

Epaminondas. A famous Theban descended 
from the ancient kings of Boeotia. At the 
head of the Theban armies he defeated the 
Spartans at the celebrated battle of Leuctra 
about b. c. 370. He was killed in battle in 
the forty-eighth year of his age. 

Epaphus. Son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Io, born on 
the river Nile, after the long wanderings of 
his mother. He became king of Egypt, and 
built Memphis. 

Epeus. Son of Panopeus, and builder of the 
Trojan horse. 

Ephesus. A city of Ionia, famous for a temple 
of Diana, which was considered to be one of 
the seven wonders of the world. 

Epictetus. A Stoic philosopher of Hieropolis, 
originally the slave of Epaphroditus, the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. IO9 

freedman of Nero. He supported the doc- 
trine of the immortality of the soul. 
Epicharmus. The chief comic poet among the 
Dorians, born in the island of Cos, about 
b. c. 540. Epicharmus gave to comedy a 
new form, and introduced a regular plot. 
His language was elegant, and his pro- 
ductions abounded in philosophical and moral 
maxims. 

Epicurus. A celebrated philosopher, born in 
Attica of obscure parents. He distinguished 
himself at school by the brilliancy of his ge- 
nius. He taught that the happiness of man- 
kind consisted in pleasure, which arises from 
mental enjoyment, and the sweets of virtue. 
His death occurred b. c. 270, his age being 
seventy-two years. 

Epigoni ( The Descendants). The name of the 
sons of the seven heroes who perished 
before Thebes. Ten years after their death 
the descendants of the seven heroes marched 
against Thebes, which they took and razed 
to the ground. 

Epimenides. A celebrated poet and prophet of 
Crete, whose history is largely mythical. 
He is said to have fallen asleep one day, when 
wearied from a long search for some missing 
sheep, and not to have awakened for fifty- 
seven years. It is, however, an historical 
fact that he came to Athens on the invitation 
of the citizens, and undertook the purification 
of the city in b. c. 596. St. Paul has pre- 



110 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



served a famous verse of his against the 
Cretans (Titus i : 12). 

Epirus ( The Mainland ). A country in the north- 
west of Greece, so called to distinguish it from 
Corcyra and the other islands off the coast. 

Erato. One of the Muses. She presided over 
lyric poetry, and is represented as crowned 
with roses and myrtle, and holding a lyre in 
her hand. 

Erebus. A deity of the infernal regions, son of 
Chaos and Darkness. The poets often use 
the word to signify the infernal regions. 

Erichthonius. Son of Dardanus, father of Tros, 
and king of Troy. 

Eridanus. A river god, on the banks of whose 
river amber was found. In later times the 
Eridanus was supposed to be the same as the 
Padus (Po), because amber was found at its 
mouth. 

Erinna. A Lesbian poetess, a contemporary and 
friend of Sappho (about b. c. 612), who died 
at the age of nineteen, but left behind her 
poems which were thought worthy to rank 
with those of Homer. 

Eris. See Discordia. 

Erymanthus. A lofty mountain in Arcadia on 
the frontiers of Achaia and Elis, celebrated 
in mythology as the haunt of the savage 
Erymanthian boar destroyed by Hercules. 

Erythraeum Mare. The name origin ally of the 
whole expanse of sea between Arabia and 
Africa on the west, and India on the east, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



Ill 



including its two great gulfs (the Red Sea 
and Persian Gulf). 
„ Eteocles. A king of Thebes, son of Oedipus and 
Jocasta. After his father's death it was 
agreed between him and his brother Polynices 
that they should reign a year each alternately. 
Eteocles first ascended the throne, but at the 
end of the year he refused to resign the 
crown. Thus treated, Polynices implored 
assistance from Adrastus, king of Argos, 
whose daughter he married, and who placed 
an army at his disposal. Eteocles mar- 
shaled his forces, and several skirmishes took 
place between the hostile hosts, when it was 
agreed on that the brothers should decide 
the contest by single combat. They fought 
with inveterate fury, and both were filled. 

Etesiae. The Etesian Winds^ derived from the 
Greek word meaning " year," signified any 
periodical winds, but more particularly the 
northerly winds which blow in the Aegean 
for forty days from the rising of the dog star. 

Etruria or Tuscia. Called by the Greeks Tyr- 
rhenia or Tyrsenia. A country in central Italy. 

Euboea {Negropont). The largest island of the 
Aegean Sea, about ninety miles in length, 
lying along the coasts of Attica, Boeotia,' 
and the southern part of Thessaly, from which 
countries it is separated by the Euboean Sea, 
called the Euripus in its narrowest part. 

Euclides. A famous mathematician of Alexan- 
dria, who lived b. c. 300. He wrote fifteen 



112 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



books on the elements of mathematics. Eu- 
clid was so much respected that King Ptolemy 
became one of his pupils. 

Eumaeus. The faithful swineherd of Ulysses. 

Eumenes. A Greek officer in the army of Alex- 
ander. He was the most worthy of all Alex- 
ander's generals to succeed him after his 
death. He conquered Paphlagonia and Cap- 
padocia, of which he obtained the govern- 
ment, till the power of Antigt/nus obliged 
him to retire. Eventually, after many vicis- 
situdes of fortune, he was put to death in 
prison by order of Antigonus. 

Eumenides. A name given to the Furies. They 
sprang from the drops of blood which flowed 
from a wound which Coelus received from 
Saturn. According to some writers they 
were daughters of the Earth, and sprung 
from the blood of Saturn. Others make them 
to be daughters of Acheron and Night, or 
Pluto and Proserpine. According to the gen- 
erally received opinion they were three in 
number — Tisiphone, Megara, and Alecto, to 
which some add Nemesis. 

Eumolpus {The Good Singer). A Thracian 
bard, son of Poseidon (Neptune) and Chione, 
the daughter of Boreas.- Eumolpus was 
regarded as the founder of the Eleusinian 
mysteries, and as the first priest of Demeter 
(Ceres) and Dionysus (Bacchus). He was 
succeeded in the priestly office by his son 
Ceyx ; and his family, the Eumolpidae, con- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



tinued till the latest times the priests of 
Demeter at Eleusis. 

Euphorbus. A famous Trojan. He wounded 
Patroclus, whom Hector killed. He died by 
the hand of Menelaus. 

Euphrates. A large river in Asia which flowed 
through the middle of the city of Babylon. 

Eupolis. One of the most celebrated Athenian 
poets of the old comedy, and a contemporary 
of Aristophanes, was born about b. c. 446, 
and died about 411. The common story that 
Alcibiades threw him into the sea out of 
revenge is not true. 

Euripides. A celebrated tragic poet born at Sala- 
mis. He studied eloqtience under Prodicus, 
ethics under Socrates, and- philosophy under 
Anaxagoras. He often retired to a solitary 
cave, where he wrote his tragedies. He 
brought down the ancient heroes and heroines 
to the ordinary standard of men and women 
of his own times, and represented men, 
not as they ought to be, but as. they are. The 
most serious defects in his tragedies as works 
of art are the disconnection of the choral 
odes from the subject of the play and the 
too frequent introduction of philosophical 
maxims. It is said that he met his death by 
being attacked and torn in pieces by dogs, 
407 years before the Christian era, in the 
seventy-eighth year of his age. He is ac- 
credited with the authorship of seventy- five 
tragedies, of which only nineteen are extant. 



114 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Europa. A daughter of Agenor, king of Phoeni- 
cia, and Telaphassa. Her beauty attracted 
Jupiter, and to become possessed of her he 
assumed the shape of a handsome bull, and 
mingled with the herds of Agenor while Eu- 
ropa was gathering flowers in the meadows. 
She caressed the animal, and mounted on his 
back. The god crossed the sea with her, and 
arrived in Crete, where he assumed his proper 
form, and declared his love. She became 
mother of Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadaman- 
thus. 

Eurus. The southeast wind, sometimes the east 
wind. 

Eurybatus. An Ephesian, whom Croesus sent 
with a large sum of money to the Pelopon- 
nesus to hire mercenaries for him in his war 
with Cyrus. He, however, went over to 
Cyrus, and betrayed the whole matter to 
him. In consequence of this treachery his 
name passed into a proverb among the 
Greeks. 

Eurydice. The wife of the poet Orpheus. As 
she fled from Aristaeus, who was enamored 
of her, she was bit by a serpent, and died 
of the wound. Orpheus was disconsolate at 
her loss, and descended to the infernal regions 
in search of her, and by the melody of his 
lyre he obtained from Pluto the restoration 
of Eurydice, provided he did not look behind 
him till he reached the earth ; but his eager- 
ness to see his wife caused him to violate the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 115 

conditions, and he looked behind him, thus 
losing Eurydice forever. 

Eurydice. Wife of Amyntas, king of Macedonia. 
Alexander, Perdiccas, and Philip were their 
sons, and they had a daughter named Eury- 
one. Eurydice conspired against Amyntas, but 
was prevented from killing him by Euryone. 

Eurylochus. A companion of Ulysses, who was 
the only one that escaped from the house of 
Circe when his friends were metamorphosed 
into swine. 

Eurysthenes. A son of Aristodemus, who lived 
in perpetual dissension with his twin brother 
Procles while they both sat on the Spartan 
throne. The descendants of Eurysthenes 
were called Eurysthenidae, and those of Pro- 
cles, Proclidae. 

Eurystheus. A king of Argos and Mycenae, son 
of Sthenelus and Nicippe. Juno hastened his 
birth by two months that he might come into 
the world before Hercules, the son of Alc- 
mena, as the younger of the two was doomed 
by Jupiter to be subservient to the other. 
This natural right was cruelly exercised by 
Eurystheus, who was jealous of the fame of 
Hercules, and who, to destroy him, imposed 
upon him the most dangerous enterprises, 
known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules, all 
of which were successfully accomplished. 

Eusebius. A bishop of Caesarea, in favor with 
the Emperor Constantine. He was mixed up 
in the theological disputes of Arius and Atha- 



Il6 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

nasius, and distinguished himself by writing 
an ecclesiastical history and other works. 

Euterpe. One of the Muses, daughter of Jupiter 
and Mnemosyne. She presided over music. 

Eutropius. A Latin historian in the age of 
Julian. He wrote an epitome of the history 
of Rome from the age of Romulus to the 
reign of the emperor Valens. 

Evander. Son of Hermes, is said to have led a 
colony, about sixty years before the Trojan 
war, from Creadia into Italy, and there to 
have built a town, Pallantium, on the Tiber, 
which was afterwards incorporated with 
Rome. 

Evergetes (The Be?tef actor). A title of honor 
conferred by the Greek states upon those 
from whom they had received benefits. 

Fabii. A noble and powerful family at Rome. 
They fought with the Veientes, and all of 
them were slain. One of the family, of ten- 
der age, remained in Rome, and from him 
descended the family which afterwards be- 
came so distinguished. 

Fabius, Maximus Rullianus. Was the first of the 
Fabii who obtained the name of Maximus. 
He was master of the horse, and his victory 
over the Samnites in that capacity nearly 
cost him his life. He was five times consul, 
twice dictator, and once censor, 

Fabius, Q. Maximus. A celebrated Roman who 
was raised to the highest offices of state. In 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



II 7 



his first consulship he obtained a victory over 
Liguria, and the battle of Thrasymenus 
caused his election to the dictatorship. While 
in this office he opposed Hannibal, harassing 
him more by counter-marches and ambus- 
cades than by fighting in the open field. He 
died at the age of one hundred, after being 
consul five times. Others of the family were 
of minor distinction, though their names 
occur in Roman history. 

Fabricius, Caius. A distinguished Roman who 
in his first consulship obtained several victo- 
ries over the Samnites and Lucanians. He 
had the most consummate knowledge of mili- 
tary matters, and was distinguished for the 
simplicity of his manners. 

Falernus. A fertile mountain and plain of Cam- 
pania, famous for its wine. Falernian wine 
was held in great esteem by the Romans, 
and it is often alluded to by the poets. 

Fannius Strabo, C. Son-in-law of Laelius, intro- 
duced by Cicero as a speaker in his De 
Republica and his Laelius. 

Fauni. Rural deities represented as having the 
legs, feet, and ears of goats, and the rest of 
the body human. 

Febris. The goddess, or rather the averter, of 
fever. 

Felicitas. The personification of happiness, is 
frequently seen on Roman medals, in the 
form of a matron, with the staff of Mercury 
and a cornucopia. 



Il8 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Feretrius. A surname of Jupiter, derived from 
ferire, to strike ; for persons who took an 
oath called upon Jupiter to strike them if 
they swore falsely, as they struck the victim 
which they sacrificed. 

Festus, Sext. Pompeius. A Roman grammarian 
in the fourth century of our era, the author 
of a dictionary or glossary of Latin words 
and phrases, of which a considerable portion 
is extant. 

Fides. The personification of faithfulness, 
worshipped as a goddess at Rome. 

Fidius. An ancient form of filius,- occurs in the 
connection of Dius Fidius, or Medius Fidius, 
that is me Dius ftlius, or the son of Jupiter, 
that is Hercules. Hence the expression 
medius fidius is equivalent to me Hercules 
scil. juvet. Sometimes fidius is used alone. 
Some of the ancients connected fidius with 
fides. 

Flaccus, Fulvius. The name of two distinguished 
families in the Fulvia and Valeria gentes. 

Flavia Gens. Celebrated as the house to which 
the emperor Vespasian belonged. During 
the later period of the Roman empire the 
name Flavius descended from one emperor 
to another, Constantius, the father of Con- 
stantine the Great, being the first in the 
series. 

Flora. The goddess of flowers and gardens 
among the Romans She was the same as 
the Chloris of the Greeks. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



II 9 



Florentia (Firenze, Florence). A town in Etruria 
and subsequently a Roman colony, situated 
on the Arnus ; but its greatness as a city 
dates from the Middle Ages. 

Florus, L. Annaeus. A Roman historian, lived 
under Trajan and Hadrian, and wrote a 
summary of Roman history, which is extant, 
divided into four books, extending from 
the foundation of the city to the time of 
Augustus. 

Fornax. A Roman goddess, who presided over 
baking the corn -in the oven (fornax), and 
who was worshipped at the festival of the 
Fornacalia. 

Fortuna. . A powerful deity among the ancients, 
daughter of Oceanus, according to Homer, or 
one of the Parcae, according to Pindar. She 
was the goddess of Fortune, and bestowed 
riches or poverty on mankind. 

Fortunatae or -orum Insulae ( The Islands of 
the Blessed). The early Greeks, as we learn 
from Homer, placed the Elysian Fields, into 
which favored heroes passed without dying, 
at the extremity of the earth, near the 
river Oceanus. In poems later than Homer 
an island is spoken of as their abode ; 
and though its position was of course indef- 
inite, the poets, and the geographers who 
followed them, placed it beyond the Pillars 
of Hercules. Hence, when certain islands 
were discovered in the ocean, off the west 
coast of Africa, the name of Fortunatae 



120 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Insulae was applied to them. They are 
now called the Canary and Madeira is- 
lands. 

Forum. An open space of ground in which the 
public met for the transaction of public busi- 
ness, and for the sale and purchase of 
provisions. The number of fora increased 
at Rome with the growth of the city. They 
were level pieces of ground of an oblong 
form, and were surrounded by buildings, 
both private and public. The principal forum 
at Rome was the Forum Romanum, also 
called simply the Forum, and at a later time 
distinguished by the epithets vetus or 
magnum. It lay between the Capitoline 
and Palatine hills, and ran lengthwise from 
the foot of the Capitol or the arch of 
Septimius Severus in the direction of the 
arch of Titus ; but it did not extend quite 
so far as to the latter. The origin of the 
forum is ascribed to Romulus and Tatius, 
who are said to have filled up the swamp or 
marsh which occupied its site, and to have 
set it apart as a place for the administration 
of justice and for holding the assemblies of 
the people. 

Fulvia. An ambitious woman, wife of the tribune 
Clodius, afterward of Curio, and lastly of 
Antony. Antony divorced her for Cleopatra. 
She attempted to avenge her wrongs by per- 
suading Augustus to take up arms against 
Antony. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



121 



Gaea or Ge. Called Tellus by the Romans, the 
personification of the earth, is described as 
the first being that sprung from Chaos, and 
gave birth to Uranus (Heaven) and Pontus 
(Sea). By Uranus she became the mother 
of the Titans, who were hated by their 
father. Ge therefore concealed them in the 
bosom of the earth ; and she made a large 
iron sickle, with which Cronos (Saturn) 
mutilated Uranus. Ge or Tellus was re- 
garded by both Greeks and Romans as one 
of the gods of the nether world, and hence 
is frequently mentioned where they are 
invoked. 

Gaius or Caius. A celebrated Roman jurist, 
who wrote under Antoninus Pius and M. 
Aurelius. One of his chief works was an 
elementary treatise on Roman law, entitled 
Institutiones, in four books, which was the 
ordinary text-book used by those who were 
commencing the study of the Roman law, 
until the compilation of the Institutiones of 
Justinian. This work was lost for centuries, 
until discovered by Niebuhr ini8i6 at Verona. 

Galataea. A sea nymph, daughter of Nereus and 
Doris. She was loved by Polyphemus, the 
Cyclops, whom she treated with disdain, 
while she was in love with Acis, a shepherd 
of Sicily. 

Galatia. A country of Asia Minor, composed of 

parts of Phrygia and Cappadocia. 
Galba, Servius Sulpicius. A Roman who rose 



122 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



to the greatest offices of the state, and exer- 
cised his powers with equity till he was seated 
on the throne, when his virtues disappeared. 
He was assassinated in the seventy-third year 
of his age. 

Galilaea. At the birth of Christ this was the 
northmost of the three divisions of Palestine 
west of the Jordan. Its inhabitants were a 
mixed race of Jews, Syrians, Phoenicians, 
Greeks, and others, and were therefore de- 
spised by the Jews of Judaea. 

Galinthias or Galanthis. Daughter of Proetus 
of Thebes, and a friend of Alcmena. When 
Alcmena was on the point of giving birth to 
Hercules, and the Moerae and Ilithyiae, at 
the request of Hera (Juno), were endeavoring 
to delay the birth, Galinthias suddenly 
rushed in with the false report that Alcmena 
had given birth to a son. The hostile 
goddesses were so surprised at this informa- 
tion that they dropped their arms. Thus 
the charm was broken, and Alcmena was 
enabled to give birth to Hercules. The 
deluded goddesses avenged the deception 
practiced upon them by metamorphosing 
Galinthias into a weasel. Hecate, however, 
took pity upon her, and made her her attend- 
ant, and Hercules afterwards erected a 
sanctuary to her. 

Gallia. Also called Gallia Transalpina or Gallia 
Ulterior, to distinguish it from -Gallia Cisal- 
pina, or the north of Italy. The Romans com- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



123 



menced the conquest of Gaul b. c. 125, and a 
few years afterwards made the southeastern 
part of the country a Roman province. In 
Caesar's Commentaries the Roman province 
is called simply Provincial, in contradistinc- 
tion to the rest of the country ; hence comes 
the modern name of Provence. The rest of 
the country was subdued by Caesar after a 
struggle of several years (58-50). At this 
time Gaul was divided into three parts — 
A quit aula, Celtica, and Belgica — according 
to the three different races by which it was 
inhabited. The Aquitania dwelt in the 
southwest, between the Pyrenees and the 
Garumna ; the Celtae, or Galli proper, in 
the center and west between the Garumna 
and the Sequana and the Matron a ; and the 
Belgae in the northeast, between the two 
last-mentioned rivers and the Rhine. Of 
the many tribes inhabiting Gallia Celtica, 
none were more powerful than the Aedui, 
the Sequani, and the Helvetii. 

Gallienus, Pub. Licinius. A son of the emperor 
Valerian. He reigned conjointly with his 
father for seven years and then became sole 
emperor, a. d. 260. In his youth he showed 
military ability in an expedition against the 
Germans and Sarmatae, but when possessed 
of the purple he gave himself up to pleasure 
and vice. He was assassinated in his fiftieth 
year, a. d. 268. 

Ganges. The greatest river of India, which it 



124 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

divided into the two parts named by the 
ancients India intra Gangem (Hindosfan), 
and India extra Gangem (Burmak, Cochin 
China, S/am, and the Malay Peninsula). 
It rises in the highest part of the Emodi 
Montes {Himalaya), and flows by several 
mouths into the head of the Gangeticus Sinus 
{Bay of Bengal). 

Ganymedes. A beautiful youth of Phrygia. He 
was taken to heaven by Jupiter while tending 
flocks on Mount Ida, and he became the cup- 
bearer of the gods in place of Hebe. 

Garumna (Garonne). One of the chief rivers of 
Gaul, rising in the Pyrenees, flowing north- 
west through Aquitania, and becoming a 
bay of the sea below Burdigala (Bordeaux). 

Gaugamela. A village in Assyria, the scene of 
the last battle between Alexander and 
Darius, b. c. 331, commonly called the battle 
of Arbela. 

Gellius Aulus. A Roman grammarian in the 
age of M. Antoninus. He wrote a work called 
Nodes Atticae, which he composed at 
Athens. 

Gemoniae or Gemonii (Gradus). A flight of steps 
cut out of the Aventine, down which the 
bodies of criminals strangled in the prison 
were dragged, and afterwards thrown into 
the Tiber. 

Geneva or Genava (Geneva). The last town of 
the Allobroges, on the frontiers of the 
Helvetii, situated on the south bank of the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



Rhone, at the spot where the river flowed 
out of the Lacus Lemannus. There was a 
bridge here over the Rhone. 
Genitrix {The Mother). Used by Ovid as a 
surname of Cybele, in the place of mater, 
or magna mater ; but it is better known as a 
surname of Venus, to whom Caesar dedicated 
a temple at Rome, as the mother of the Julia 
gens. 

Genius. A protecting spirit, analogous to the 
guardian angels invoked by the Church of 
Rome. The belief in such spirits existed 
both in Greece and at Rome. 

Germania. A country bounded by the Rhine on 
the west, by the Vistula and the Carpathian 
Mountains on the east, by the Danube on the 
south, and by the German Ocean and the 
Baltic on the north. It thus included much 
more than modern Germany on the north and 
east, but much less in the west and south. 

Germanicus Caesar. A son of Drusus and An- 
tonia, the niece of Augustus. He was raised 
to the most important position in the state, 
and was employed in war in Germany, where 
his successes obtained him a triumph. He 
was secretly poisoned, A. d. 19, in the thirty- 
fourth year of his age. He has been com- 
mended not only for his military talents, but 
for his learning and humanity. 

Geryon. A monster, represented by the poets as 
having three bodies and three heads. It was 
killed by Hercules. 



126 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Gigantes. The sons of Coelus and Terra, who, 
according to Hesiod, sprang from the blood 
of a wound inflicted on Coelus by his son 
Saturn. They are represented as huge 
giants, with strength in accordance with 
their size. 

Glaucus. A son of Hippolochus, the son of Bel- 
lerophon. He aided Priam in the Trojan 
war, and was noted for his folly in exchang- 
ing his golden armor with Diomedes for an 
iron one. 

Glaucus. A fisherman of Boeotia. He observed 
that the fishes which he caught and laid 
on the grass became invigorated and leaped 
into the sea. He tasted the grass, and sud- 
denly felt a desire to live in the sea. He 
was made a sea deity by Oceanus and 
Tethys. 

Glaucus. A son of Minos the Second and Pasi- 
phae, who was smothered in a cask of honey. 
The soothsayer Polyidus, on being com- 
manded by Minos to find his son, discovered 
him, and by rubbing his body with a certain 
herb restored him to life. 

Glycera {The Sweet One). A favorite name of 
courtesans. 

Gordianus, M. Antonius Africanus. Son of 

Metius Marcellus. He applied himself to 
poetry, and composed a poem in thirty books. 
He was sent as proconsul to Africa, and sub- 
sequently, when he had attained his eighti- 
eth year, he was proclaimed emperor. He 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I27 



strangled himself at Carthage a. d. 236, and 
was deeply lamented by the army and the 
people. 

Gordianus, M. Antonius Africanus. Son of Gor- 
dianus, was made prefect of Rome, and af- 
terward consul, by Alexander Severus. He 
was elected emperor in conjunction with his 
father. He was killed in a battle fought with 
Maximinus in Mauritania. 

Gordianus, M. Antonius Pius. Grandson of the 
first Gordianus. He was proclaimed em- 
peror in the sixteenth year of his age. He 
married the daughter of Misetheus, who was 
distinguished by his virtues, and to whom 
Gordian entrusted many of the chief offices 
of the state. Gordian conquered Sapor, king 
of Persia, and took many cities from him. 
He was assassinated a. d. 244. 

Gordium. The ancient capital of Phrygia, situ- 
ated on the Sangarius, the royal residence 
of the kings of the dynasty of Gordius, and 
the scene of Alexander's celebrated exploit 
of " cutting the Gordian knot." 

Gordius. A Phrygian who, from the position of 
a peasant, was raised to the throne conse- 
quent to a prediction of the oracle. Gordius 
consecrated his chariot in the temple of 
Jupiter. The knot which tied the yoke to 
the draught-tree of his chariot was made so 
cunningly that the ends of the cord could not 
be seen, and a report arose that the empire 
of Asia was promised by the oracle to him 



T28 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



who should untie the Gordian knot. Alex- 
ander cut the knot with his sword. 

Gorgias. A famous rhetorician and sophist, 
born about b. c 480. All his writings have 
been lost except two declamations of doubt- 
ful authenticity. One of Plato's dialogues 
is called Gorgias. 

Gorgones (The Gorgons). Three sisters, daugh- 
ters of Phorcys and Ceto, whose names were 
Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. They pos- 
sessed the power of turning into stone those 
on whom they looked. Perseus attacked 
them and cut off Medusa's head, which he 
gave to Minerva, who placed it on her aegis, 
which turned into stone those who fixed their 
eyes on it. 

Gothi, Gothones, Guttones. A powerful Ger- 
man people, who originally dwelt on the 
Prussian coast of the Baltic at the mouth 
of the Vistula, but afterwards migrated 
south. 

Gracchus, T. Sempronius. Was twice consul and 
once censor. He married Cornelia, of the 
family of the Scipios, a woman of piety and 
learning. Their children, Tiberius and 
Caius, rendered themselves famous for their 
obstinate attachment to the interests of the 
populace, which at last proved fatal to them. 
The Gracchi stand out conspicuously in 
Roman annals The history of Caius Grac- 
chus has been dramatized by James Sheridan 
Knowles. It was one of his earliest efforts in 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



129 



dramatic literature, and has long been obso- 
lete as as acting play. 
Graecia or Hellas. A country in Europe, the 
inhabitants of which were called Graeci or 
Hellenes. Among the Greeks Hellas did 
not signify any particular country, bounded 
by certain geographical limits, but was used 
in general to signify the abode of the 
Hellenes, wherever they might happen to be 
settled. 

Graecia Magna, or G. Major. A name given to 
the districts in the south of Italy inhabited by 
the Greeks. It appears to have been applied 
chiefly to the cities on the Tarentine Gulf — 
Tarentum, Sybaris, Croton, Caulonia, Siris 
(Heraclea), Metapontum, Locri, and Rhe- 
gium ; but it also included the Greek cities 
on the west coast, such as Cumae and 
Neapolis. 

Granicus. A small river of Mysia, rising in 
Mount Ida, and falling into the Propontis 
{Sea of Marmora) east of Priapus : mem- 
orable as the scene of the victory of Alexan- 
der the Great over the Persians, b. c. 334, 
and, in a less degree, for a victory of Lucullus 
over Mithridates, b. c. 73. 

Gryps or Gryphus. A griffin, a fabulous animal, 
with the body of a lion and the head and 
wings of an eagle, dwelling in the Rhipaean 
Mountains, between the Hyperboreans and 
the one-eyed Arimaspians, and guarding 
the gold of the North. The Arimaspians 



130 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



mounted on horseback and attempted to 
steal the gold, and hence arose the hostility 
between the horse and the griffin. The 
belief in griffins came from the East, where 
they are mentioned among the fabulous 
animals which guarded the gold of India. 

Gyas or Gyes, or Gyges. Son of Uranus 
(Heaven) and Ge (Earth), one of the giants 
with one hundred hands, who made war 
upon the gods. 

Gyges. The first king of Lydia of the dynasty 
of the Mermnadae, dethroned Candaules 
and succeeded to the kingdom. He reigned 
b. c. 716-678. He sent magnificent pres- 
ents to Delphi, and the riches of Gyges 
became a proverb. 

Gymnasium. A place among the Greeks where 
all the public exercises were performed, and 
where not only dancers and wrestlers exhib- 
ited, but where poets and philosophers re- 
peated their compositions. 

Hades or Ades. The god of hell among the 
Greeks ; the same as the Pluto of the Latins. 
The word is often used for hell itself by the 
ancient poets and in modern writings. 

Hadrianus, P. Aelius. Usually called Hadrian, 
Roman emperor, a. d. 1 17-138, was born at 
Rome, a. d. 76. He enjoyed' the favor of 
Plotina, the wife of Trajan, and mainly 
through her influence succeeded to the 
empire. The reign of Hadrian was one of 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



the happiest periods in Roman history.- His 
policy was to preserve peace with foreign 
nations, and to promote the welfare of the 
provinces. He erected many magnificent 
works in various parts of the empire, and 
more particularly at Athens. There are still 
extensive remains of his magnificent villa at 
Tibur, wliere numerous works of ancient art 
have been discovered. His mausoleum, 
which he built at Rome, forms the ground- 
work of the present castle of St. Angelo. 
Haliartus. An ancient town in Boeotia, south of 
the lake Copais, destroyed by Xerxes in his 
invasion of Greece, b. c. 480, but afterwards 
rebuilt. Under its walls Lysander lost his 
life (395). 

Halicarnassus. A maritime city in Asia Minor, 
where a mausoleum, one of the seven won- 
ders of the world, was erected. It is cele- 
brated as being the birthplace of Herodotus, 
Dionysius, and Heraclitus. 

Halirrhothius. Son of Poseidon (Neptune) and 
Euryte, attempted to violate Alcippe, daugh- 
ter of Ares (Mars) and Agraulos, but was 
slain by Ares. Ares was brought to trial by 
Poseidon for this murder, on the hill at 
Athens, which was hence called Areopagus, 
or the Hill of Ares. 

Hamadryades. Nymphs who lived in the country 
and presided over trees. 

Hamilcar. A famous Carthaginian, father of 
Hannibal. He was engaged in Sicily during 



132 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



the first Punic war. He used to say of his 
three sons that he kept three lions to devour 
the Roman power. 

Hannibal. A celebrated Carthaginian general, 
son of Hamilcar. While a child he took a 
solemn oath never to be at peace with Rome. 
His passage of the Alps with an immense 
army was one of the greatest feats of antiq- 
uity. He defeated the Romans in the great 
battle of Cannae, but was subsequently con- 
quered by Scipio at Zama. He died by 
poison taken from a ring in which he kept it 
concealed. This occurred in his seventieth 
year, about b. c. 182. 

Harpylae {The Harpies) . Winged monsters who 
had the face of a woman, the body of a vul- 
ture, and feet and fingers armed with claws. 
They were three in number — Aello, Ocypete, 
and Celeno. They were daughters of Nep- 
tune and Terra. 

Hasdrubal. A son of Hamilcar and brother of 
Hannibal. He crossed the Alps and entered 
Italy, where he was defeated by the consuls, 
M. Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero. He 
was killed in the battle, b. c. 207, and his 
head was sent to Hannibal. One of the 
finest passages in Professor Nicholas tragedy 
of Hannibal is the invocation over Hasdru- 
bal's head at the close of the play. 

Hebe. A daughter of Jupiter and Juno. She ' 
was made cupbearer to the gods, but was 
dismissed from the office by Jupiter, because 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



133 



she fell down in a clumsy posture as she was 
pouring out nectar at a festival, and Gany- 
medes succeeded her as cupbearer. 
Hebron. A city in the south of Judaea, the first 
capital of the kingdom of David, who reigned 
there seven and a half years, as king of Judah 
only. 

Hecate. A daughter of Perses and Asteria. She 
was called Luna in heaven, Diana on earth, 
and Hecate or Proserpine in hell. 

Hector. Son of King Priam and Hecuba. He was 
the most valiant of all the Trojan chiefs who 
. fought against the Greeks. He married An- 
dromache, the daughter of Eetion, Astyanax 
being their son. Hector was made chief of 
the Trojan forces when Troy was besieged by 
the Greeks, and it is said that thirty-one of 
the most valiant Greek chiefs were killed by 
him, but when he met Achilles he fled. 
Achilles pursued him, and Hector was killed, 
and his body dragged in triumph at the 
chariot wheels of the conqueror. 

Hecuba. Daughter of Dymas, a Phrygian prince, 
or, according to some, of Cisseus, a Thracian 
king, was the second wife of Priam, king of 
Troy. When her son Paris was born, she ex- 
posed him on Mount Ida, hoping he would 
perish, as the soothsayers had predicted that 
he would be the ruin of his country. In the 
Trojan war she saw most of her children per- 
ish. After enduring many misfortunes, she 
threw herself into the sea, and was drowned. 



134 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Helena. One of the most beautiful women of the 
age in which she lived. Her beauty was so 
universally admired, even in her infancy, 
that Theseus, with his friend Pirithous, car- 
ried her away when she was ten years of age 
and concealed her with his mother, but she 
was recovered by Castor and Pollux, and re- 
stored to her native country. She married 
Menelaus, son of Atreus, but when Paris vis- 
ited Menelaus he persuaded her to fly with 
him to Troy, b. c. 1198. On this, Menelaus 
sent ambassadors to the court of Priam to de- 
mand her restitution, but in vain, and the 
result was the Trojan war. When Troy was 
taken she returned to Menelaus, and after his 
death she retired to Rhodes, where she was 
strangled by order of Polyxo, who reigned 
there. Her beauty and misfortunes have 
been a theme for the poets in all ages ; Ten- 
nyson thus speaks of her : 

11 Divinely tall and most divinely fair, 
A daughter of the gods." 

Helice.' Daughter of Lycaon, beloved by Zeus 
(Jupiter). Hera, out of jealousy, meta- 
morphosed her into a she-bear, whereupon 
Zeus placed her among the stars, under the 
name of the Great Bear. 

Heliopolis (The City of the Sun). A celebrated 
city of Syria, a chief seat of the worship 
of Baal, one of whose symbols was the sun. 
Hence the Greek name of the city. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



135 



Helios. Called Sol by the Romans, the god of 
the sun. He was the son of Hyperion and 
Thea, and a brother of Selene and Eos. 
From his father he is frequently called 
Hyperionides, or Hyperion, the latter of 
which is an abridged form of the patronymic, 
Hyperionion. Homer describes Helios as 
rising in the east from Oceanus, traversing 
the heaven, and descending in the evening 
into the darkness of the west and Oceanus. 
Later poets have marvelously embellished 
this simple notion. 

Helle. A daughter of Athamas and Nephele. 
She fled from her father's house to avoid the 
oppression of her mother-in-law Ino. Accord- 
ing to some accounts she was carried through 
the air on a golden ram, when, becoming 
giddy, she fell into the sea, which received 
from her the name Hellespont. 

Hellespontus. A narrow strait between Europe 
and Asia, which received its name from 
Helle, who is said to have been drowned in 
it. It is celebrated as being the scene of the 
love and death of Leander. 

Helvetii. A brave and powerful Celtic people. 

Helvia. Mother of the philosopher Seneca. 

Hera. See Juno. 

Heraclidae. The descendants of Heracles or 
Hercules, who, in conjunction with the 
Dorians, conquered Peloponnesus eighty 
years after the destruction of Troy. 

Heraclitus. A celebrated Greek philosopher of 



I36 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Ephesus, who lived about 500 years before 
the Christian era. He received the appella- 
tion of the Obscure Philosopher and the 
Mourner, from his custom of weeping at the 
follies and frailties of human life. 

Herculaneum. A town of Campania swallowed 
up by an earthquake, produced by an erujD- 
tion of Mount Vesuvius, a. d. 79. 

Hercules. A celebrated hero who, after death, 
was ranked among the gods. According to 
the ancients there were many persons of the 
same name, but the son of Jupiter and Alc- 
mena, generally called the Theban, is the 
most celebrated. The birth of Hercules was 
attended with many miraculous events. Be- 
fore he was eight months old Juno sent two 
snakes to devour him, which he seized and 
crushed to death. He achieved a series of 
enterprises known as the Twelve Labors 
of Hercules. These comprised the slaughter 
of the Nemaean lion, the destruction of the 
Lernaean hydra, the catching of a stag having 
golden horns and remarkable for his swift- 
ness, the seizing alive a wild boar which com- 
mitted great ravages, the cleansing of the 
stables of Augias, the killing of the carniv- 
orous birds near the Lake Stymphalis, the tak- 
ing captive a prodigious wild bull, the obtain- 
ing of the mares of Diomedes which fed on 
human flesh, the getting possession of the 
girdle of the queen of the Amazons, the de- 
struction of the monster Geryon, the obtain- 




Ganymedes, 



See page 124. 



I 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



137 



ing the apples from the garden of the Hesper- 
ides, and the bringing to" the earth the three- 
headed dog Cerberus. Besides these labors 
he aided the gods in their wars with the 
giants, and performed numerous difficult 
feats. He was conducted by Mercury to 
Omphale, queen of Lydia, whom he married, 
and whom he permitted to dress in his armor 
while he was sitting to spin with her female 
servants. He delivered Dejanira from the 
Centaur Nessus, whom he killed. The Cen- 
taur, as he expired, gave Dejanira a mystic 
tunic, which, in a jealous paroxysm, she gave 
to Hercules to put on, which he had no sooner 
done than he was seized with a desperate 
distemper which was incurable. He erected a 
burning pile on Mount Aeta, on which he cast 
himself. Jupiter surrounded the burning 
pile with smoke, amidst which Hercules, after 
his mortal parts were consumed, was carried 
to heaven in a chariot drawn by four horses. 

Hermes. A name of Mercury among the Greeks. 

Herminius. A valiant Roman who defended the 
bridge with Codes against the army of Por- 
senna. Lord Macaulay, in his noble pc ^m 
Horatius, alludes to him as one of Ihe 
dauntless three who defended the bridge 
against the host of Porsenna : 

" And out spake strong Herminius, 
Of Titian blood was he, 
4 1 will abide on thy left side, 

An4 keep the bridge with tlm' n 



138 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Ilermione. A daughter of Mars and Venus who 
married Cadmus. She was changed into a 
serpent, and placed in the Elysian Fields. 

Hermione. A daughter of Menelaus and Helen. 
She was privately promised in marriage to 
Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, but her 
father, ignorant of the engagement, gave her 
hand to Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles, whose 
services he had experienced in the Trojan 
war. 

Hermippus. A freedman, disciple of Philo, in 
the reign of Adrian, by whom he was greatly 
esteemed. He wrote five books on dreams. 

Hermodorus. A philosopher of Ephesus who is 
said to have assisted, as interpreter, the Ro- 
man decemvirs in the composition of the ten 
tables of laws which had been collected in 
Greece. 

Hero. A beautiful girl of Sestos, greatly be- 
loved by Leander, a youth of Abydos. The 
lovers were greatly attached to each other, 
and often in the night Leander swam across 
the Hellespont to Hero in Sestus, till on 
one tempestuous night he was drowned, 
and Hero in despair threw herself into the 
sea and perished. 

Herodes. Surnamed " the Great," followed the 
fortunes of Brutus and Cassius, and afterward 
those of Antony. He was made king of J udaea 
by the aid of Antony, and after the battle of 
Actium he was continued in power by submis- 
sion to and flattery of Augustus. He rendered 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



139 



himself odious by his cruelty, and, as he 
knew his death would be a cause for rejoic- 
ing, he ordered a number of the most illus- 
trious of his subjects to be confined and 
murdered directly he expired, that there 
might appear to be grief and shedding of 
tears for his own death. Herod died in the 
seventieth year of his age, after a reign of 
forty years. 

Herodotus. A celebrated Greek historian and 
the father of history. Born at Halicarnassus, 
b. c. 484, He ranks among historians as 
Homer does among the poets and Demos- 
thenes among the orators. His great work is 
a history of the wars of the Persians against 
the Greeks, from the age of Cyrus to the battle 
of Mycale in the reign of Xerxes; besides 
which it gives an account of many celebrated 
nations. A life of Homer is attributed to 
his pen, though by some the authorship is 
doubted. The excellences of his style con- 
sist in its antique and epic coloring, its trans- 
parent clearness, and the lively flow of the 
narrative. 

Heruli or Eruli. A powerful German race, who 
are said to have come originally from 
Scandinavia, attacked the Roman empire 
on its decline. Under the command of 
Odoacer, who is said to have been an Her- 
ulian, they destroyed the Western empire, 
a. o. 476. 

Hesiodus. A celebrated poet, born at Ascra in 



140 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Boeotia. He lived in the age of Homer, and 
obtained a poetical prize in competition with 
him, according to Varro and Plutarch. Quin • 
tilian, Philostratus, and others maintain that 
Hesiod lived before the age of Homer. He- 
siod, without possessing the sublimity of 
Homer, is admired for the elegance of his 
diction. 

Hesione. A daughter of Laodemon, kin^ of 
Troy. It was her fate to be exposed to a sea 
monster, to whom the Trojans presented 
yearly a young girl to appease the resent- 
ment of Apollo and Neptune, whom Laode- 
mon had offended. Hercules undertook to 
rescue her, and, attacking the monster just 
as he was about to devour her, killed him 
with his club. 

Hesperia (The Western Land). The name given 
by the Greek poets to Italy, because it lay 
west of Greece. In imitation of them the 
Roman poets gave the name Hesperia to 
Spain. 

Hesperides. Three Nymphs, daughters of Hes- 
perus. Apollodorus mentions four, Aegle, 
Erythia, Vesta, and Arethusa. They were 
appointed to guard the golden apples which 
Juno gave to Jupiter on the day of their mar- 
riage. The place where the Hesperides lived 
was a celebrated garden, abounding with de- 
licious fruit, and was guarded by a dragon 
which never slept. It was one of the labors 
of Hercules to procure some of the golden 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



141 



apples, which he succeeded in doing after 
slaying the dragon. 

Hesperus {The Evening Star). Son of Astraeus 
and Eos (Aurora), of Cephalus and Eos or of 
Atlas. He was also regarded as the same as 
the morning star. 

Hieronymus. A Christian writer, commonly 
called St. Jerome. He was distinguished for 
his zeal against heretics. He wrote com- 
mentaries on the prophets, St. Matthew's 
Gospel, etc. He died a. d. 420 in his eigh- 
tieth year. 

Hipparchus. A son of Pisistratus, who succeeded 
his father as tyrant of Athens, with his 
brother Hippias. He patronized some of the 
learned men of his age, and distinguished 
himself for his love of literature. 

Hippocrates. A celebrated physician of Cos. 
He delivered Athens from a dreadful pesti- 
lence in the beginning of the Peloponnesian 
war, for which he was rewarded with a golden 
crown. He died in his ninety-ninth year, 
b. c. 361. 

Hippocrene. A fountain of Boeotia, near Mount 
Helicon, sacred to the Muses. It rose from 
the ground when struck by the feet of the 
horse Pegasus. 

Hippodamia. A daughter of Oenomaus, king of 
Pisa, who married Pelops, son of Tantalus. 
Her father would marry her only to someone 
who should conquer him in a chariot race. 
Her beauty was great, and many were com- 



142 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



petitors for her hand, though the conditions 
involved death in case of defeat in the race. 
After thirteen suitors had been defeated, 
Pelops entered the lists, and, by bribing the 
charioteer of Oenomaus, obtained the victory 
and married Hippodamia. 

Hippolytus. Son of Theseus and Hippolyte. 
His stepmother Phaedra fell in love with him. 
He fled to the seashore, where, his horses 
taking fright and rushing among the rocks, 
his chariot was broken in pieces, and he was 
killed. According to some accounts he was 
restored to life by Diana. 

Hipponax. A Greek poet born at Ephesus, 540 
years before the Christian era. He cultivated 
satirical poetry, which was marked by its 
beauty and vigor. 

Hispania {Spain). A peninsula in the southwest 
of Europe, connected with the land only on 
the northeast, where the Pyrenees form its 
boundary, and surrounded on all other side's 
by the sea, and on the north by the Canta- 
brian Sea. 

Homerus. A celebrated Greek poet, the most 
ancient of all the profane writers. The age 
in which he lived is not known, though some 
suppose it to be about 168 years after the 
Trojan war. Uncertainty prevails, also, as 
to the place of his nativity, seven cities claim- 
ing to be thus honored These are Smyrna, 
Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, 
and Athenae. In his two famous poems, the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



143 



Iliad and Odyssey, he has displayed the most 
consummate knowledge of human nature, 
and rendered himself immortal by the sub- 
limity and elegance of his poetry. In the 
Iliad he gives a narrative of the siege of 
Troy, and the Odyssey deals with the wan- 
derings of Ulysses after the fall of the city. 
Byron, in The Bride of A by do s, calls him 

" The blind old man of Scio's rocky isle," 

thus assuming Chios to be his birthplace, Scio 
being the modern name of the place. Dry- 
den, in his well-known lines commencing 

" Three poets in three distant ages born," 

ranks him with Vergil and M l:on, giving 
Homer the palm of "loftiness of thought." 
One of the old poets thus alludes to his verse : 

" Read Homer once, and you can read no more, 
For all books else appear so mean and poor; 
Verse will seem prose; but still persist to read, 
And Homer will be all the books you need." 

Honor or Honos. The personification of honor 
at Rome, to whom temples were built both 
by Marcellus and by Marius, close to the 
temples of Honos. Marcellus also built one 
to Virtus : and the two deities are frequently 
mentioned together. 

Honorius. An emperor of the Western Empire 
of Rome, who succeeded his father, Theodo- 
sius the Great. He conquered his enemies 
by the ability of his generals, and suffered 



144 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



his people to be governed by ministers who 
took advantage of his indolence and indiffer- 
ence. He died a. d. 423. 

Horae. Daughters of Zeus (Jupiter) and Themis, 
the goddesses of the order of nature and of 
the seasons, who guarded the doors of 
Olympus, and promoted the fertility of the 
earth by the various kinds of weather which 
they gave to mortals. 

Horatii. Three brave Romans, born at the same 
time, who fought against the three Curiatii 
about 667 years before Christ. At the begin- 
ning of the fight two of the Horatii were 
killed, and the surviving one pretended to 
fly, thus separating his antagonists as they 
pursued him, and then, attacking them singly, 
he slew them all. 

Horatius, Q. Flaccus. A celebrated poet, born 
at Venusia. His rising talents obtained the 
attention of Vergil and Varius, who recom- 
mended him to the care of Maecenas and Au- 
gustus, the celebrated patrons of literature. 
Under this fostering patronage Horace gave 
himself up to indolence and pleasure. He 
was warm in his friendships, and if he at any 
time gave offense, he was ready to make any 
concession to effect a reconciliation. In his 
Satires and Epistles he displays much wit 
and satirical humor. He died in his fifty- 
seventh year, b. c. 8. 

Horatius. See Codes. 

Hortensius, Q. A celebrated orator who began 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



145 



to distinguish himself in the Roman Forum 
when he was nineteen years old. Cicero 
speaks eulogistically of his oratorical powers, 
and of his retentive memory. Quintilian 
alludes to his orations in terms of high com- 
mendation. 

Horus. The Egyptian god of the sun, who was 
also worshipped in Greece and at Rome. 

Hostilia. A small town in Gallia Cisalpina, on 
the Po, and on the road from Mutina to 
Verona ; the birthplace of Cornelius Nepos. 

Hyacinthus. A son of Amyclas and Diomede, 
greatly beloved by Apollo and Zephyrus. He 
was accidently killed by Apollo, who 
changed his blood into a flower which bore 
his name. 

Hydra. A celebrated monster which infested the 
neighborhood of Lake Lerna in Peloponnesus. 
It was one of the labors of Hercules to destroy 
the monster, which he effected with the aid 
of Iolas. 

Hygeia. The goddess of health, daughter of 
Aesculapius. She was held in great venera- 
tion among the ancients. 

Hymenaeus or Hymen. The god of marriage 
among the Greeks, was the son of Bacchus 
and Venus, or, according to some, of Apollo 
and one of the Muses. 

Hymettus. A mountain of Attica, about two 
miles from Athens, famous for its bees and 
honey. 

Hyperion. A son of Coelus and Terra, who mar- 



I46 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



ried Thea. Aurora was their daughter. 
Keats has written a magnificent poem en- 
titled Hyperion. Hyperion is often used by 
the poets to signify the sun; as, for instance, 
by Shakespeare in Titles Andronicus (act v. 
sc. 2): 

" Even from Hyperion's rising in the east, 
Until his very downfall in the sea." 

Also in Tr oil us and Cress id a, and other of 
Shakespeare's plays, the same license is 
used. 

Hypermaestra. One of the Danaides. who were 
the fifty daughters of Danaus. She was 
ordered by her father to murder her husband 
Lynceus on the night of their marriage, which 
she refused to do. Danaus wished to punish 
her for her disobedience, but afterward for- 
gave her, and left his kingdom at his death 
to Lynceus. 

Hypsipyle. A queen of Lemnos, daughter of 
Thoas. During her reign, Venus, whose 
altars had been slighted, punished the Lem- 
nian women by causing their husbands' af- 
fections to be estranged from them. This 
enraged the women, and they put to death 
their male relations, except in the case of 
Hypsipyle, who spared her father Thoas. 

Icarus. A son of Daedalus, who, with his father, 
took a winged flight from Crete to escape the 
anger of Minos. His flight was too high, and 
thus the sun melted the wax which cemented 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



147 



his wings, and he fell into the sea and was 
drowned. 

Ida. A mountain range of Mysia, in Asia Minor, 
celebrated in mythology as the scene of the 
rape of Ganymede (hence called Idaeus 
fitter) and of the judgment of Paris (hence 
called Idaeus Judex). 

Idomeneus. He succeeded his father Deucalion 
on the throne of Crete, and accompanied the 
Greeks to the Trojan war, during which he 
rendered himself famous for his valor. On 
his voyage home, being caught in a great 
tempest, he vowed to Neptune that if he 
escaped he would make an offering to the 
god of the first living creature he saw on his 
arrival at the Cretan shore. He escaped the 
storm, and the first to meet him on his land- 
ing was his son. He performed his vow, and 
became so odious to his subjects that he had 
to leave his dominions. 

Idyia. Wife of the Colchian king Aeetes, and 
mother of Medea. 

Ignatius. A bishop of Antioch, torn to pieces by 
lions in the amphitheater at Rome a. d. 107. 
His works consisted of letters to the Ephe- 
sians, Romans, etc. He zealously supported 
the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. 

Iguvium (Gubbio or Eugubio). An important 
town in Umbria, on the south slope of the 
Apennines. On a mountain near this town 
was a celebrated temple of Jupiter, in the 
ruins of which were discovered seven brazen 



148 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

tables, covered with Umbrian inscriptions, and 
which are still preserved at Gubbio. These 
tables, frequently called the Eugubian Tables, 
contain more than one thousand Umbrian 
words, and are of great importance for a 
knowledge of the ancient languages of Italy. 
Ilaira. Daughter of Leucippus and Philodice, 
and si»ster of Phoebe. The two sisters are 
frequently mentioned by the poets under the 
name of Leucippidae. Both were carried off 
by the Dioscuri, and Ilaira became the wife 
of Castor. 

Ilus. Fourth king of Troy, was son of Tros by 
Callirrhoe. He married Eurvdice, the daugh- 
ter of Adrastus. He embellished the city of 
Ilium, called also Troy from his father Tros. 

India. A name used by the Greeks and Ro- 
mans, much as the modern term East 
Indies, to describe the whole of the south- 
east part of Asia, including the two penin- 
sulas of Hindustan and of Burma/i, Cochin- 
Ckina, Sia/n, and Malacca, and also the 
islands of the Indian Archipelago. 

Indigetes. The name of those indigenous gods 
and heroes at Rome who once lived on earth 
as mortals, and were worshipped after their 
death as gods. Thus Aeneas, after his dis- 
appearance on the banks of the Numicus, 
became a deus Indiges, pater Indiges, or 
Jupiter Indiges; and in like manner Romu- 
lus became Quirmus, and Latinus, Jupiter 
Latiaris* 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



149 



Inferi. The gods of the nether world, in contra- 
distinction to the Superi, or the gods of 
heaven. But the word Inferi is also fre- 
quently used to designate the dead, and 
therefore comprises all the inhabitants of the 
lower world, both the gods, viz., Hades or 
Pluto, his wife Persephone (Proserpina), the 
Erinnyes or Furies, etc., and also the souls 
of departed men. 

Io. Daughter of Inachus, and a priestess of 
Juno at Argos. Jupiter changed her into a 
beautiful heifer, and eventually restored her 
to her own form. She was greatly persecuted 
by Juno. She married Telegonus, king of 
Egypt, or Osiris, according to others, and 
treated her subjects with such kindness that 
after death she received divine honors, and 
was worshipped under the name of Isis. 

Iolas or Iolaus. A son of Iphiclus, king of 
Thessaly, who assisted Hercules in conquer- 
ing the Hydra; he burnt with a hot iron the 
place where the monster's heads had been cut 
off to prevent their re-growth. 

Iolcus. An ancient town in Magnesia in 
Thessaly, at the top of the Pagasean Gulf, 
about a mile from the sea. It was celebrated 
in mythology as *he residence of Pelias 
and Jason, and as the place from which the 
Argonauts sailed in quest of the Golden 
Fleece. 

Ionia. A district on the west coast of Asia 
Minor, so called from the Ionian Greeks who 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



colonized it at a time earlier than any dis- 
tinct historical records. 

Iphiclus. A son of Amphitry on and Alcmena, and 
twin brother of Hercules. As the children 
were cradled together, Juno, jealous of Her- 
cules, sent two large serpents to destroy him. 
At the sight of the snakes Iphiclus showed 
great alarm, but Hercules seized them, one 
in each hand, and squeezed them to death. 

Iphicrates. A celebrated general of Athens, who, 
though son of a shoemaker, rose to the high- 
est offices in the state. He made war against 
the Thracians, and assisted the Persian king 
against Egypt. 

Iphigenia. A daughter of Agamemnon and Cly- 
temnestra. When the Greeks, going to the 
Trojan war, were detained at Aulis by con- 
trary winds, they were informed by a sooth- 
sayer that to appease the gods they must sac- 
rifice Iphigenia to Diana. As the fatal knife 
was about to be plunged into her, Iphigenia 
suddenly disappeared, and a goat of great 
beauty was found in the place where she had 
stood ready for the sacrifice. 

Iphitus. A son of Eurytus, king of Oechalia. 
When his father had promised his daughter 
Iole to anyone who could excel him or his 
sons in drawing the bow, Hercules accepted 
the challenge and was victorious. Eurytus, 
however, refused to fulfill the compact by giv- 
ing his daughter to the conqueror. After- 
ward some oxen were stolen from Eurytus, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



and Iphitus was sent in quest of them. In 
his search he met Hercules, who aided him in 
seeking the lost animals, but on recollect- 
ing the faithlessness of Eurytus he killed 
Iphitus. 

Irene. Called Pax by the Romans, the goddess 
of peace, was, according to Hesiod, a daugh- 
ter of Zeus and Themis, and one of the Horae. 
Pax is represented on coins as a youthful 
female, holding in her left hand a cornucopfa, 
and in her right hand an olive branch, or the 
staff of Mercury. 

Iris. One of the Oceanides, messenger of the 
gods, and more particularly of Juno. Her 
office was to cut the thread which seemed to 
detain the soul of those who were expiring. 
She is the same as the rainbow. 

Isaeus. One of the ten Attic orators, was born 
at Chalcis, and came to Athens at an early 
age. He wrote judicial orations for others, 
and established a rhetorical school at 
Athens, in which Demosthenes is said to 
have been his pupil. 

Isis. A celebrated deity of the Egyptians, 
daughter of Saturn and Rhea, according to 
Diodorus of Sicily. Some suppose her to be 
the same as Io, who was changed into a cow, 
and restored to her human form in Egypt, 
where she taught agriculture, and governed 
the people with mildness and equity, for 
which she received divine honors after her 
death. 



152 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Ismene. Daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, and 
sister of Antigone. 

Isocrates. A celebrated orator, son of a musical 
instrument maker at Athens. He opened a 
school of eloquence at Athens, where he was 
distinguished for the number, character, and 
fame of his pupils. He was intimate with 
Philip of Macedon, but the aspiring ambition 
of Philip displeased Isocrates, and the defeat 
of the Athenians at Chaeronea had such an 
effect on him that he did not long survive it. 
He died, after being four days without taking 
any aliment, in his ninety-ninth year, about 
338 years before Christ. He was honored 
after death by the erection of a brazen statue 
to his memory by Timotheus, one of his 
pupils, and Aphareus, his adopted son. Mil- 
ton, in one of his sonnets, speaks of him as 
that old man eloquent when alluding to his 
death as being caused by the news of the 
battle of Chaeronea. 

Italia. Signified, from the time of Augustus, 
the country south of the Alps, which we 
call Italy. 

Itys. A son of Tereus, king of Thrace, and 
Procne, daughter of Pandion, king of Athens. 
He was killed by his mother when he was six 
years old, and served up to his father to be 
eaten by him. He was changed into a pheas- 
ant, his mother into a swallow, and his father 
into an owl. 

Ixion. A king of Thessaly, son of Phlegias, or, 



Greek Wrestler. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



153 



according to Hyginus, of Leontes, or, accord- 
ing to Diodorus, of Antion and Perimela. 
Jupiter carried him to heaven and placed 
him at the table of the gods, where he be- 
came enamored of Juno, which so incensed 
Jupiter that he banished him from heaven, 
and ordered Mercury to tie him to a wheel in 
hell which continually whirled round, keep- 
ing Ixion in perpetual torture. 

Janus. An ancient king who reigned in Italy. 
He was a native of Thessaly, and, according 
to some writers, a son of Apollo. He built a 
town which he called Janiculum. Some 
authors make him to have been son of Coelus 
and Hecate. He is represented with two 
faces, because he was acquainted with the 
past and future. His temple was always 
open in time of war, and was shut when 
peace existed. 

Japetus. A son of Coelus or Titan and Terra, 
who married Asia, or, according to some 
writers, Clymene. The Greeks looked on 
him as the father of all mankind. 

Jason. A celebrated hero, son of Aeson and 
Alcimedes. His education was entrusted to 
the Centaur Chiron. The greatest feat re- 
corded of him is his voyage in the Argo to 
Colchis to obtain the Golden Fleece, which, 
aided by Juno, he succeeded in doing. 
Medea, daughter of Aeetes, king of Colchis, 
fell in love with Jason. She was a powerful 



154 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

magician, and on Jason having vowed eternal 
fidelity to her, she gave him charms to pro- 
tect him from danger. After securing the 
Fleece, Jason set sail from the country with 
his wife Medea. After some years he be- 
became enamored of Glauce, daughter of 
Creon, king of Corinth, whom he married, 
having divorced Medea. This cruel act was 
revenged by Medea, who destroyed her 
children in the presence of their father. 
Jason is said to have been killed by a beam 
which fell on his head as he was reposing by 
the side of the ship which had borne him to 
Colchis. 

Jerusalem or Hierosolyma. The capital of Pales- 
tine, -in Asia. It was originally the chief 
city of the Jebusites, a Canaanitish tribe, 
but was taken by David in b. c. 1050, and 
was made by him the capital of the kingdom 
of Israel. 

Jordanes {Jordan). A river of Palestine, rising 
at the south foot of Mount Hermon (the 
southmost part of Anti-Libanus), flowing 
south into the Sea of Galilee {Lake of 
Tiberias), and thence into the lake Asphal- 
tites {Dead Sea), where it is finally lost. 

Josephus, Flavius. A celebrated Jew, born in 
Jerusalem, who signalized himself in a siege 
conducted by Vespasian and Titus in a small 
town in Judaea. He was present at the siege 
of Jerusalem by Titus, and received all the 
sacred books which it contained, from the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



conqueror's hands. He wrote a history of 
the wars of the Jews in Syriac, and after- 
wards translated it into Greek. He also 
wrote a work, which he divided into twenty 
books, on Jewish antiquities. He died a. d. 
93, in his fifty-sixth year. 

Jovianus, Flavius Claudius. A native of Pan- 
nonia elected emperor of Rome by the 
soldiers after the death of Julian. He re- 
fused the purple at first, but on being assured 
that his subjects were favorably disposed 
toward Christianity he accepted the crown. 
He died about seven months after assuming 
the supreme power, being found in bed 
suffocated by the vapors of charcoal which 
had been lighted in his room, a. d. 364. 

Juba. A king of Numidia and Mauritania, who 
favored the cause of Pompey against Julius 
Caesar. He defeated Curio, whom Caesar 
had sent to Africa, and after the battle of 
Pharsalia he joined his forces to those of 
Scipio. He was conquered in a battle at 
Thapsus, and killed himself. His kingdom 
became a Roman province, of which Sallust 
was the first governor. 

Juba the Second. He was led captive to 
Rome to give luster to the triumph of 
Caesar. He wrote a history of Rome which 
was often commended and quoted by the 
ancients. 

Jugurtha. A distinguished Numidian who went 
with a body of troops to the assistance of 



156 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Scipio who was besieging Numantia. Jugur- 
tha endeared himself to the Roman general 
by his bravery and activity. His uncle 
Micipsa appointed him successor to the 
throne, with his two sons Adherbal and 
Hiempsal, the latter of whom was slain by 
Jugurtha, and the former had to fly to Rome 
for safety. Caecilius Metellus was sent 
against Jugurtha, who was betrayed, and 
delivered into the hands of the Romans. 
He died in -prison, b. c. 106. 
Julia. A daughter of Julius Caesar and Cornelia, 
famous for her virtues and personal charms. 
She was obliged by her father to divorce her- 
self from her first husband to marry Pom- 
pey the Great, with the object of cement- 
ing the friendship between him and her 
father. 

Julia. Daughter of Augustus, remarkable for 
her beauty, genius, and vices. Her father 
gave her in marriage to Marcellus, after 
whose death she united herself to Agrippa, 
and again becoming a widow she married 
Tiberius. Her conduct now became so un- 
seemly that she was banished to a small 
island on the coast of Campania, where she 
was starved to death. 

Julia. A celebrated woman born in Phoenicia. 
She applied herself to the study of philos- 
ophy, and was conspicuous for her mental as 
well as her personal charms. She came to 
Rome, where she married Septimius Severus, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



157 



who was afterward invested with the purple. 
She was also called Domna. 
Julianus. A son of Julius Constantius, the 
brother of Constantine the Great, born in 
Constantinople. The massacre which at- 
tended the elevation of the sons of Constan- 
tine to the throne nearly proved fatal to 
Julian and his brother Gallus. The two 
brothers were privately educated and taught 
the doctrine of the Christian religion — which 
afterward Julian disavowed, and in conse- 
quence of this the term Apostate is gener- 
ally affixed to his name. He died, a. d. 363, 
in his thirty-second year. His last moments 
were spent in a conversation with a philos- 
opher about the immortality of the soul. 
Julian's character has been admired by some 
writers, but generally he is censured for his 
apostasy 

Juno. A celebrated deity among the ancients, 
daughter of Saturn and Ops. Jupiter mar- 
ried her, and^the nuptials were celebrated 
with the greatest solemnity in the presence 
of all the gods. By her marriage with 
Jupiter, Juno became the queen of all the 
gods, and mistress of heaven and earth. 
She presided over marriage, and patronized 
those of her sex who were distinguished for 
virtuous conduct. Paris gave her great 
offense by giving the golden apple, as an 
award to beauty, to Venus instead of her- 
self, 



158 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Jupiter. The chief of all the gods of the an- 
cients. According to Varro there were three 
hundred persons of that name. To him of 
Crete, who passed for the son of Saturn and 
Ops, the actions of the rest have been attrib- 
uted. Jupiter was educated in a cave on 
Mount Ida, in Crete, arid fed with the milk 
of the goat Amalthaea. While he was very- 
young he made war on the Titans, whom he 
conquered. The beginning of his reign in 
the supernal regions was interrupted by the 
rebellion of the giants who were sons of the 
Earth, and who were desirous of revenging 
the death of the Titans, but by the aid of 
Hercules, Jupiter overpowered them. Jupiter 
married Metis, Themis, Ceres, Euronyme, 
Mnemosyne, Latona, and Juno. His worship 
was universal : he was the Amnion of the 
Africans, the Belus of Babylon, and the 
Osiris of Egypt. 

Jura or Jurassus Mons. A range of mountains 
running north of the lake Lemanus as far as 
Augusta Rauracorum {August, near Basle), 
on the Rhine, forming the boundary between 
the Sequani and Helvetii. 

Juvenalis, D. Junius. A poet born at Aquinum 
in Italy. He came to Rome at an early age, 
where he applied himself to the writing of 
satires, some of which are extant. He died 
in the reign of Trajan a. d. 128. His writings 
are distinguished by a lively style, but 
abound with ill humor. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



iS9 



Laberius, J. Decimus. A Roman knight famous 
for his skill in writing pantomimes. Caesar 
made him appear on the stage in one of his 
plays, which he resented by throwing out 
aspersions on Caesar during the performance, 
and by warning the audience againt tyranny. 

Labienus, T. Tribune of the Plebs, b. c. 63, was 
a friend and partisan of Caesar, and his chief 
legatus in his wars against the Gauls; but 
on the breaking out of the civil war in b. c. 
49, he went over to Pompey. 

Lachesis. One of the" Parcae, or Fates. She 
presided over futurity, and was represented 
as spinning the thread of life, or, according 
to some, as holding the spindle. 

Laconica. Sometimes called Laconia by the 
Romans, a country of Peloponnesus. 

Laelaps {The Storm Wind). He was personified 
as the swift dog which Procris had received 
from Artemis (Diana), and gave to her hus- 
band Cephalus. When the Teumessian fox 
was sent to punish the Thebans, Cephalus 
sent the dog Laelaps against the fox. The 
dog overtook the fox, but Zeus (Jupiter) 
changed both animals into a stone. 

Laelius, C. The friend of Scipio Africanus the 
elder, who fought under the latter in almost 
all his campaigns. 

Laertes. A king of Ithaca who married Anticlea, 
daughter of Autolycus. Ulysses was their 
son, and succeeded him on the throne, 
Laertes retiring to the country, and devoting 



l6o 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



his time to gardening, in which employment 
he was found by Ulysses on his return 
from the Trojan war, after twenty years' 
absence. 

Lagus. A Macedonian of mean extraction, who 
married Arsinoe, daughter of Meleager. 
On the birth of a child it was exposed in 
the woods by Lagus, but an eagle preserved 
its life by feeding and sheltering it with her 
wings. The infant was afterward known as 
King Ptolemy the First, of Egypt. 

Lalage. A common name of courtesans, from , 
the Greek word meaning prattling , used as a 
term of endearment, little prattler. 

Langobardi or Longobardi. Corrupted into 
Lombards, a German tribe of the Suevic 
race, dwelt originally on the banks of the 
Elbe, and after many migrations eventually 
crossed the Alps a. d. 568, and settled in the 
north of Italy, which has ever since received 
the name of Lombardy. 

Laocoon. A priest of Apollo who in the Trojan 
war was opposed to the admission of the 
wooden horse to the city. For this, as a 
punishment, two enormous serpents were 
sent to attack him, which they did while, 
accompanied by his two sons, he was offering 
a sacrifice to Neptune. The serpents coiled 
round him and his sons, and crushed them to 
death. Lord Byron, in Childe Harold, canto 
iv., thus alludes to the Laocoon group in 
marble in the Vatican : 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



i6r 



5< Or, turning to the Vatican, go see 

Laocoon's torture, dignifying pain — 

A father's love and mortal's agony 
With an immortal's patience blending. Vain 
The struggle ; vain, against the coiling strain 

And gripe, and deepening of the dragon's grasp, 
The old man's clench ; the long, envenom'd chain 

Rivets the living links — the enormous asp 

Enforces pang on pang, and stifles gasp on gasp." 

Laodice. Daughter of Priam and Hecuba, and 
wife of Helicaon. 

Laomedon. Son of Ilus, and king of Troy. He 
married Strynio, called by some Placia or 
Leucippe. Podarces, afterward known as 
Priam, was their son. Laomedon built the 
walls of Troy, in which he was assisted by 
Apollo and Neptune. 

Lapithus. A son of Apollo and Stilbe. He 
married Orsinome, Phorbas and Periphas 
being their children, to whose numerous 
descendants was given the name Lapithae, 
a number of whom attended the nuptials of 
Pirithous with Hippodamia, the daughter of 
Adrastus, king of Argos. The Centaurs also 
attended the festivity, ancl quarreled with 
the Lapithae, which resulted in blows and 
slaughter. Many of the Centaurs were slain, 
and they were at last obliged to retire. 

Lares. Gods of inferior power at Rome, who 
presided over houses and families. They 
were two in number, sons of Mercury and 
Lara. 

Latona, A daughter of Coeus, the Titan, and 



162 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Phoebe. She was admired for her beauty 
by Jupiter. Juno made Latona the object of 
her vengeance, and sent the serpent Python 
to persecute her. 
Latium. A country in Italy. 

Lavinia. Daughter of Latinus and Amata, 
betrothed to Turnus, but married to 
Aeneas. 

Lavinium. An ancient town of Latium, three 
miles from the sea and six miles east 
of Laurentum, on the Via Appia, founded 
by Aeneas. 

Leander. A youth of Abydos. He was passion- 
ately in love with Hero, a young girl of 
Sestos. He was in the habit of swimming 
across the Hellespont to visit her, in doing 
which, on a tempestuous night, he was 
drowned. Lord Byron performed the same 
feat in 1810, an exploit which he has cele- 
brated in verse in his Occasional Pieces. He 
expresses surprise that, as the truth of Lean- 
der's story had been questioned, no one had 
hitherto tested its practicability. 

Leda. A daughter of king Thespius and Eury- 
themis, who married Tyndarus, king of 
Sparta. She is famous for her intrigue with 
Jupiter. She was the mother of Pollux, 
Helena, Castor, and Clytemnestra. She is 
said to have received the name of Nemesis 
after death. 

Leonidas. A celebrated king of Lacedaemon 
who went to oppose Xerxes, king of Persia, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



163 



who had invaded Greece with a vast army. 
A great battle was fought at Thermopylae, 
the entire army of Leonidas consisting of 
three hundred men who refused to abandon 
him. For a time this small army resisted 
the vast legions of Xerxes, till at length a 
traitor conducted a detachment of Persians 
by a secret path to the rear of Leonidas, 
where he was slain and his soldiers were cut 
to pieces, one only of the three hundred escap- 
ing. The Rev. George Croly, author of Saca- 
thiel, wrote a poem called The Death of 
Leonidas, which, after describing in vivid 
language the determined valor of the Greeks, 
thus concludes : 

" Thus fought the Greek of old ; 
Thus will he fight again : 
Shall not the self-same mold 
Bring forth the self-same men ? " 

Lepidus, M. Aemilius. A celebrated Roman, 
one of the triumvirs with Augustus and 
Antony. He was of an illustrious family, 
and, like many of his contemporaries, 
remarkable for ambition. He was unable to 
maintain his position as triumvir, and, re- 
signing power, he sank into obscurity. 

Leptines. An Athenian, known only as the 
proposer of a law taking away all special 
exemptions from the burden of public charges 
against which the oration of Demosthenes is 
directed, usually known as the oration 
against Leptines, b. c. 355. 



164 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Lesbos or Lesbus. A large island in the Aegean, 
off the coast of Mysia in Asia Minor. 

Lethe. One of the rivers of hell, whose waters 
were imbibed by the souls of the dead which 
had been for a certain period confined in Tar- 
tarus. Those who drank of this river forgot 
whate er they had previously known. In 
this sense the word is constantly used by the 
poets. Thus Shakespeare in Henry IV., 
part ii. act v. scene 2, says : 

11 May this be washed in Lethe and forgotten." 

Leto. Called Latona by the Romans, was daugh- 
ter of the Titan Coeus and Phoebe, and 
mother of Apollo and Artemis (Diana) by Zeus 
(Jupiter). The love of the king of the gods 
procured for Leto the enmity of Hera (Juno). 
Persecuted by this goddess, Leto wandered 
from place to place, till she came to Delos, 
which was then a floating island, and bore 
the name of Asteria or Ortygia. Zeus 
fastened it by adamantine chains to the 
bottom of the sea, that it might be a 
secure resting-place for his beloved, and 
there she gave birth to Apollo and Artemis. 
Leto was generally worshipped only in 
conjunction with her children. 

Leucas or Leucadia {Santa Maura). An island 
in the Ionian Sea. off the west coast of 
Acarnania. At the south extremity of the 
island, opposite Cephallenia, was the cele- 
brated promontory, variously called Leucas, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



Leucatas, Leucates, or Leucate, on which 
was a temple of Apollo Leucadius. At the 
annual festival of the god it was the custom 
to cast down a criminal from this promontory 
into the sea : birds were attached to him in 
order to break his fall ; and if he reached 
the sea uninjured, boats were ready to pick 
him up. This appears to have been an 
expiatory rite ; and it gave rise to the well- 
known story that lovers leaped from this 
rock in order to seek relief from the pangs of 
love. Thus Sappho is said to have leaped 
down from this rock when in love with 
Phaon. 

Leucippus. A celebrated philosopher of Abdera, 
about 428 years before Christ. He was a 
disciple of Zeno. His life was written by 
Diogenes. There were several others of the 
same name. 

Leuctra. A village in Boeotia, famous for the 
victory which Epaminondas, the Theban 
general, obtained over the superior force of 
Cleombrotus, king of Sparta, b. c. 371. 

Liber or Liber Pater. A name frequently given 
by the Roman poets to the Greek Bacchus or 
Dionysus. 

Libertas. The goddess of Liberty, to whom 
several temples were erected at Rome. 
Libertas is represented in works of art as a 
matron, with the pileus, the symbol of 
liberty, or a wreath of laurel. 

Libitina. An ancient Italian divinity, identified 



l66 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



by the later Romans with Persephone 
(Proserpina), on account of her connection 
with the dead and their burial. At her 
temple at Rome everything necessary for 
funerals was kept, and persons might there 
either buy or hire such things. Hence a 
person undertaking the burial of a person 
(an undertaker) was called Ubitinarius \ and 
his business libit in a. 

Licinius. A Roman emperor a. d. 307-324. He 
was a Dacian peasant by birth, and was 
raised to the rank of Augustus by the em- 
peror Galerius. 

Licinius, C. A tribune of the people, celebrated 
for his intrigues and ability. He was a 
plebeian, and was the first of that class that 
was raised to the office of master of the horse 
to the dictator. There were a number of 
other Romans of the same name. 

Ligarius, Q. He fought on the side of the Pom- 
peian party in Africa, and was defended by 
Cicero before Caesar in a speech still extant. 
Ligarius joined the conspirators who assassi- 
nated Caesar in b. c. 44, and perished in the 
proscription of the triumvirs in 43. 

Limites Romani. The name of a continuous 
series of fortifications, consisting of castles, 
walls, earthen ramparts, and the like, which 
the Romans erected along the Rhine and the 
Danube to protect their possessions from the 
attacks of the Germans. 

Linus. The personification of a dirge or lamen- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



tation, and therefore described as a son of 
Apollo by a Muse (Calliope, or by Psamathe 
or Chalciope). Both Argos and Thebes 
claimed the honor of his birth. 

Lips. The southwest wind, corresponding to 
the Latin Africus. 

Liternum or Linternum (P atria). A town on the 
coast of Campania. It was to this place that 
the elder Scipio Africanus retired when the 
tribunes attempted to bring him to trial, and 
here he is said to have died. 

Livius, Titus. A native of Padua, a celebrated 
historian. He passed the chief part of his 
time at Naples and Rome, but more particu- 
larly at the court of Augustus, who liberally 
patronized him. The name of Livy is ren- 
dered immortal by his history of the Roman 
empire. The merit of this history is admitted 
by all, and the high rank which Livy holds 
among historians is undisputed. Lord Byron 
speaks of it in his Childe Harold as li Livy's 
picture page." 

Locusta or Lucusta. A famous female poisoner, 
employed by Agrippina in poisoning the 
emperor Claudius, and by Nero for dispatch- 
ing Britannicus. She was put to death in 
the reign of Galba. 

Londinium or Londinum (London). The capital 
of the Cantii in Britain. It was originally situ- 
ated on the south bank of the Thames in the 
modern Southwark. It afterwards spread 
over the north side of the river, and was 



i68 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



hence called a town of the Trinobantes. It 
is first mentioned in the reign of Nero as a 
flourishing and populous town, much fre- 
quented by Roman merchants. London 
was the central point from which air the 
Roman roads in Britain diverged. 

Lorium or Lorii. A small place in Etruria, on 
the Via Aurelia, where Antoninus Pius was 
brought up and died. 

Lotophagi {Lotus-Eaters). Homer, in the Odys- 
sey, represents Ulysses as coming in his 
wanderings to a coast inhabited by a people 
who fed upon a fruit called lotus, the taste 
of which was so delicious that everyone who 
ate it lost all wish to return to his native 
country. 

Lucania. A district in Lower Italy. 

Lucanus, M. Annaeus. A native of Corduba in 
Spain. At an early age he went to Rome, 
where his rising talents recommended him to 
the emperor Nero. He unwisely entered into 
a poetical contest with Nero, in which he 
obtained an easy victory, which greatly 
offended the emperor. After this Lucan 
was exposed to much annoyance from Nero, 
and was induced to join in a conspiracy 
against him, on which he was condemned to 
death, the mode of which he had the liberty 
of choosing. He decided to have his veins 
opened in a warm bath, and died quoting 
some lines from his Pharsalia. Of all his 
works none but the Pharsalia remains. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



169 



Lucifer. The name of the planet Venus, or 
morning star. It is called Lucifer when 
appearing in the morning before the sun, 
but when it appears after its setting it is 
called Hesperus. 

Lucilius, C. A Roman knight, who is regarded 
as the first satirical writer among the Romans. 
Of thirty satires which he wrote only a 
few verses remain. He died at Naples b. c. 
103. . 

Lucina. A daughter of Jupiter and Juno. She 

was the goddess who presided over the birth 
of children. 

Lucretia. A celebrated Roman lady, daughter 
of Lucretius and wife of Tarquinius Colla- 
tinus. A number of young noble Romans at 
Ardea, among whom were Collatinus and the 
sons of Tarquin the Proud, were discussing 
the virtues of their wives at home, and it was 
agreed to go to Rome to ascertain how their 
wives employed themselves in their husbands' 
absence in the camp. While the wives of the 
others were indulging in feasting and dissipa- 
tion, Lucretia was found in her house em- 
ploying herself with her servants in domestic 
duties. She was brutally treated by Sextus 
Tarquin, a relative of Collatinus, and stabbed 
herself. This was the signal for a rebellion, 
the result being the expulsion of the Tarquins 
from Rome. 

Lucretius, Carus T. A celebrated Roman poet 
and philosopher. The tenets of Epicurus 



170 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

were embraced by him, and were explained 
and elucidated in a poem which he wrote, 
De Rerum Naturd. This poem is distin- 
guished by genius and elegance, but the 
doctrines it inculcates have an atheistical 
tendency. Lucretius is said to have de- 
stroyed himself b. c. 54. 

Lucullus, Lucius Licinius. A Roman noted for 
his fondness of luxury and for his military 
abilities. He was born about 115 years be- 
fore the Christian era, and distinguished him- 
self by his proficiency in eloquence and phi- 
losophy. He was soon advanced to the con- 
sulship, and intrusted with the management 
of the Mithridatic war, in which he displayed 
his military talents. 
• Luna. The goddess of the Moon. 

Lupercus. An ancient Italian divinity, wor- 
shipped by shepherds as the protector of 
their flocks against wolves. 

Lyceum. The name of one of three ancient 
gymnasia of Athens, called after the temple 
of Apollo Lyceus, in its neighborhood. It is 
celebrated as the place where Aristotle and 
the Peripatetics taught. 

Lycomedes. King of the Dolopians, in the 
island of Scyros, to whose court Achilles was 
sent, disguised as a maiden, by his mother, 
Thetis, who was anxious to prevent his going 
to the Trojan war. 

Lycurgus. A celebrated lawgiver of Sparta, son 
of King Eunomus and brother to Polydectes. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



171 



He succeeded his brother on the Spartan 
throne. In the laws which he enacted he 
maintained a just equilibrium between the 
throne and the people ; he banished luxury 
and encouraged the useful arts, and adopted 
a number of measures having for their object 
the well-being of the people. Lycurgus has 
been compared with Solon, the celebrated 
legislator of Athens. 

Lydia. A district of Asia Minor. 

Lynceus. Son of Aphareus, was one of the hunt- 
ers of the Calydonian boar, and one of the 
Argonauts. He was so sharp-sighted that he 
could see through the earth and distinguish 
objects at a great distance from him. There 
was another person of the same name who 
married Hypermnestra, daughter of Danaiis. 

Lysander. A celebrated general of Sparta in the 
last years of the Peloponnesian war. He 
drew Ephesus from the interest of Athens, 
and gained the friendship of Cyrus the 
Younger. He gave battle to the Athenian 
fleet, and destroyed it all except three ships. 
In this battle, which was fought 405 years be- 
fore the Christian era, the Athenians lost a 
great number of men, and in consequence of 
it forfeited their influence over neighboring- 
states. Lysander was kille i in battle, B.C. 394. 

Lysias. An Attic orator, born b. c. 458 and died 
B.C. 378. Lysias wrote a great number of ora- 
tions, of which several are still extant. They 
are remarkable for their grace and elegance. 



172 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Macedonia. A country in Europe north of 
Greece, said to have been originally named 
Etnathia. 

Macrobius. A Latin writer who died a. d. 415. 
He has rendered himself famous for a com- 
position called Saturiialia, a miscellaneous 
collection of antiquarian and critical litera- 
ture. 

Maeander. A celebrated river of Asia Minor 
flowing into the Aegean Sea. It is famous 
among the poets for its windings, and 
from it the application of the word '' mean- 
dering " to a winding stream has become 
proverbial. 

Maecenas or Mecaenas, C. Clinius. A celebrated 
Roman knight, who rendered himself im- 
mortal by his liberal patronage of learned 
men. To the interference of Maecenas, Ver- 
gil was indebted for the restitution of his 
lands. Maecenas, according to the received 
opinion, wrote a history of animals and a 
a journal of the life of Augustus. Vergil 
dedicated his Georgics to him, as did Horace 
his Odes. 

Maia. A daughter of Atlas and Pleione. She 
was the eldest of the Pleiades, and the most 
beautiful of the seven sisters. In a grotto 
of Mount Cyllene, in Arcadia, she became 
by Zeus (Jupiter) the mother of Hermes 
(Mercury). 

Manes. A name applied by the ancients to the 
soul when departed from the body. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



173 



Manilius, C. Tribune of the Plebs, b. c. 66, pro- 
posed the law, Manilla Lex, granting to 
Pompey the command of the war against 
Mithridates, and which Cicero supported in 
an extant oration. 

Manlius, Marcus, A celebrated Roman who, at 
an early age, distinguished himself for valor. 
When Rome was taken by the Gauls, he, with 
a body of his countrymen, fled to the Capitol, 
which he defended when it was surprised in 
the night by the enemy. This gained him 
the surname of Capito Units, and the geese 
which had awakened him to action by their 
clamor were afterward held sacred among 
the Romans. 

Mantinea. One of the most ancient and impor- 
tant towns in Arcadia. 

Mantua. A town in Gallia Transpadana, on an 
island in the river Mincius, was not a place 
of importance, but is celebrated because 
Vergil, who was born at the neighboring 
village of Andes, regarded Mantua as his 
birthplace. 

Marathon. A village of Attica, celebrated for the 
victory which the Athenians and Plataeans, 
under the command of Militiades, gained over 
the Persian army, 490 b. c. Lord Byron, in 
Don Juan, canto iii. verse 86, alludes to 
Marathon, and the famous battle fought 
there : 

" The mountains look on Marathon, 
And Marathon looks on the sea ; 



174 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



And, musing there an hour alone, 

I dream'd that Greece might still be free ; 
For, standing on the Persians' grave, 
I could not deem myself a slave." 

Marcellus, Marcus Claudius. A famous Roman 
general. He was the first Roman who ob- 
tained some advantage over Hannibal. He 
conquered Syracuse, with the spoils from 
which, he adorned Rome. He was killed in 
battle in his fifth consulship. 

Marcellus. A Roman who distinguished himself 
in the civil wars of Caesar and Pompey by his 
firm attachment to the latter. He was ban- 
ished by Caesar, but was afterwards recalled 
at the request of the Senate. Pope, in his 
Essay on Man, epistle iv., has a couplet re- 
ferring to him : 

" And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels, 
Than Caesar with a senate at his heels." 

There were some other Romans of the same 
name, of minor repute. 
Marius, C. A celebrated Roman who signalized 
himself under Scipio at the siege of Numantia. 
He was appointed to finish the war against 
Jugurtha, who was defeated and betrayed 
into the hands of the Romans. After this, 
new honors awaited Marius. He was elected 
consul, and was sent against the Teutones. 
The war was prolonged, and Marius was a 
third and fourth time invested with the con- 
sulship. At length two engagements were 
fought, and the Teutones were defeated, a 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



175 



vast number of them being left dead on the 
battlefields. After many vicissitudes Marius 
died, b. c. 86, directly after he had been hon- 
ored with the consulship for the seventh 
time. There were a number of others of the 
same name, but of minor note. 

Mars. The god of war, was the son of Jupiter 
and Juno, or of Juno alone, according to Ovid. 
The loves of Mars and Venus are greatly 
celebrated. On one occasion, while in each 
other's company, Vulcan spread a net round 
them, from which they could not escape with- 
out assistance. They were thus exposed to 
the ridicule of the gods till Neptune induced 
Vulcan to set them at liberty. During the 
Trojan war, Mars interested himself on the 
side of the Trojans, and defended the favor- 
ites of Venus with great determination. 

Marsyas. A celebrated piper of Celaene in 
Phrygia. He challenged Apollo to a trial of 
skill in music, which challenge was accepted, 
the Muses being appointed umpires. The 
palm of victory was awarded to Apollo, who 
tied his antagonist to a tree and flayed him. 

Martialis, Marcus Valerius. A native of Spain 
who came to Rome when he was about twenty 
years old, where he became noticeable for 
his poetical genius. Martial wrote fourteen 
books of epigrams, and died in the seventy- 
fifth year of his age. 

Masinissa. A king of a small part of Africa, 
who at first assisted the Carthaginians in their 



I76 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



wars against Rome, but who subsequently be- 
came an ally of the Romans. After his de- 
feat of Syphax he married Sophonisba, the 
wife of Syphax, which gave offense to the 
Roman general, Scipio, on which Masinissa 
induced Sophonisba to end her life by poison. 
In the battle of Zama, Masinissa greatly 
contributed to the defeat of Hannibal. He 
died in his ninety-seventh year, 149 years be- 
fore the Christian era. 

Massilia or Massalia {Ma?'sei'Ues). A Greek 
city in Gallia Narbonensis, on the coast of 
the Mediterranean, in the country of the 
Salves, founded by the Phocaeans of Asia 
Minor about b. c. 600. 

Matrona (Marne). A river in Gaul, falling into 
the Sequana, a little south of Paris. 

Matuta or Mater Matuta. The goddess of the 
dawn, identified by the Romans with Leu- 
cothea. 

Mausolus. A king of Caria. His wife Artemisia 
was very disconsolate at his death, and 
erected one of the grandest monuments of 
antiquity to perpetuate his memory. This 
famous building, which was deemed to be one 
of the seven wonders of the world, was called 
Mausoleum, which name has been since 
applied to other grand sepulchral monu- 
ments. 

Maximinus, Caius Julius Verus. The son of 

a peasant of: Thrace. He entered the Roman 
armies, where he gradually rose till he was 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



177 



proclaimed emperor a. d. 235. He ruled with 
great cruelty, and was eventually killed by 
his own soldiers. He was of immense size 
and strength, and was able to break the 
hardest stones between his fingers. 

Medea. A celebrated magician, daughter of 
Aeetes, king of Colchis, and niece of Circe. 
When Jason came to Colchis in quest of the 
Golden Fleece, Medea fell in love with him, 
and they exchanged oaths of fidelity; and 
when he had overcome all the difficulties 
which he had to encounter, Medea embarked 
with him for Greece. She lived in Corinth 
with her husband Jason for ten years, with 
much conjugal happiness, when he became 
enamored of Glauce, daughter of Creon, 
king of Corinth. To avenge herself on Jason 
she caused the destruction of Glauce, and 
killed her two children in his presence. 

Medusa. One of the three Gorgons, daughter of 
Phorcys and Ceto. She was the only one of 
the Gorgons subject to mortality. She was 
celebrated for her personal charms and the 
beauty of her hair, which Minerva changed 
into serpents. According to Apollodorus and 
others, the Gorgons were born with snakes 
on their heads instead of hair, and with yellow 
wings and brazen hands. Perseus rendered 
himself famous by his conquest of Medusa. 
He cut off her head and placed it on the aegis 
of Minerva. The head had the power of 
changing those who looked at it into stone. 



i 7 8 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Medusa, as we are informed by Lord Lytton, 
was an expression applied to Mary Queen of 
Scots in her own day, and in his brilliant 
poem, The Last Days of Quee7i Elizabeth, 
he speaks of the unfortunate queen as 

1 Thou soft Medusa of the fated line." 

Mela or Mella, M. Annaeus. Youngest son of M. 
Annaeus Seneca, the rhetorician, brother of 
L. Seneca, the philosopher, and father of the 
poet Lucan. 

Melampus. Son of Amythaon, a celebrated 
prophet and physician, and the first who 
introduced the worship of Dionysus (Bacchus) 
into Greece. 

Meleager. A celebrated hero of antiquity who 
signalized himself in the Argonautic expedi- 
tion, and especially by killing the Calydonian 
boar, a famous event in mythological history. 

Melissa. A nymph, said to have discovered the 
use of honey, and from whom bees were 
believed to have received their name. 

Melpomene. One of the Muses, daughter of 
Jupiter and Mnemosyne. She presided over 
tragedy. She is generally represented as a 
young woman wearing a buskin and hold- 
ing a dagger in her hand. 

Memnon. A king of Ethiopia, son of Tithonus 
and Aurora. He came with ten thousand 
men to assist Priam in the Trojan war, where 
he behaved with great courage, and killed 
Antilochus, Nestor's son, at which Nestor 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. I 79 



challenged Memnon to fight, but he refused 
on account of the great age of the challenger; 
but he fought Achilles, who killed him. A 
statue was erected in his honor, which had the 
property of uttering a melodious sound every- 
day at sunrise. Tennyson, in his Palace of 
Art, alludes to this statue thus : 

" As morn from Memnon drew 
Rivers of melodies." 

Memphis. A great city of Egypt, second in 
importance only to Thebes. 

Menander. A celebrated comic poet of Athens, 
educated under Theophrastus. He was uni- 
versally esteemed by the Greeks. He wrote 
108 comedies, of which only a few fragments 
remain. 

Menelaus. A king of Sparta, brother to Aga- 
memnon. He married Helen, the most beau- 
tiful woman of her time. Paris, having ar- 
rived in Sparta in the absence of Menelaus, 
persuaded her to elope with him, which was 
the cause of the Trojan war. In the tenth 
year of the war Helen, it is said, obtained 
the forgiveness of Menelaus, with whom she 
returned to Sparta, where, shortly after his 
return, he died. 

Menenius Agrippa. A celebrated Roman who 
appeased the Roman populace in the infancy 
of the consular government by repeating to 
them the well-known fable of the belly and 
limbs. He lived b. c. 495. 



l8o IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Mentor. A faithful friend of Ulysses, the guide 
and instructor of his son Telemachus. The 
term Mentor has become proverbial as applied 
to anyone who is an educator of youth. 

Mercurius. A celebrated god of antiquity, called 
Hermes by the Greeks. He was the mes- 
senger of the gods, and conducted the souls 
of the dead into the infernal regions. He 
presided over orators, merchants, and was 
also the god of thieves. The invention of 
the lyre is ascribed to him. This he gave to 
Apollo, and received in exchange the Cadu- 
ceus, which the god of poetry used to drive 
the flocks of King Admetus. 

Merops. A king of the island of Cos, who mar- 
ried Clymene, one of the Oceanides. He was 
changed into an eagle, and placed among 
the constellations. 

Mesopotamia. A district of Asia, named from 
its position between the Euphrates and the 
Tigris. 

Messala. The name of a distinguished family 
of the Valeria gens at Rome. The most 
famous member of the family was M. Valerius 
Messala Corvinus, who, though he fought on 
the republican side at Philippi, was pardoned 
by the triumvirs, and afterwards became a 
friend of Augustus and a patron of learn- 
ing. He was a friend also of Horace, and 
his name constantly occurs in the elegies of 
Tibullus. 

Messalina, Valeria. She was notorious for her 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. l8l 

vices, and married the emperor Claudius, who, 
wearied with her misconduct, cited her to ap- 
pear before him and reply to the accusations 
which were brought against her, on which 
she attempted to destroy herself, but, failing 
to do so, was slain by one of the tribunes 
who had been sent to summon her. 

Metelli. The surname of the family of the 
Caecilii at Rome, the most 'noted of whom 
are : a general who defeated the Achaeans, 
took Thebes, and invaded Macedonia; Quin- 
tus Caecilius, rendered famous by his suc- 
cesses against Jugurtha, the king of Nu- 
midia ; Q. Caecilius Celer, who distinguished 
himself against Catiline. He died fifty-seven 
years before Christ, greatly lamented by 
Cicero, who was one of his warmest friends ; 
L. Caecilius, a tribune in the civil wars of 
Caesar, and Pompey, who favored the cause 
of Pompey ; Q. Caecilius, a warlike general 
who conquered Crete and Macedonia ; Metel- 
lus Cimber, one of the conspirators against 
Caesar. He gave the signal to attack and 
murder the dictator. 

Methymna. The second city of Lesbos, stood at 
the north extremity of <he island. It was the 
birthplace of the poet Arion and of the his- 
torian Hellanicus. 

Metis. The personification of prudence, de- 
scribed as a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, 
and the first wife of Zeus (Jupiter). Afraid 
lest she should give birth to a child wiser 



182 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



and more powerful than himself, Zeus 
deceived her when she was pregnant, and 
swallowed her, and, after a time, the goddess 
Minerva sprang from his head. 

Micipsa. A king of Numidia, son of Masinissa, 
who, at his death, b. c. 119, left his kingdom 
to his sons, Adherbal and Hiempsal, and his 
nephew Jugurtha. 

Midas. A king of Phrygias, son of Gordius or 
Gorgias. According to some traditions, in 
the early part of his life he found a treasure, 
to which he owed his greatness and opulence. 
He showed hospitality to Silenus, in return 
for which Bacchus permitted him to choose 
whatever recompense he pleased. He de- 
manded of the god that whatever he touched 
might be turned into gold. His wish was 
granted, but when the very food which he at- 
tempted to eat became gold in his mouth he 
prayed Bacchus to revoke the favor, and he 
was ordered to wash himself in the river 
Pactolus, the sands of which were turned into 
gold by the touch of Midas. Afterward, in 
consequence of maintaining that Pan was 
superior to Apollo in singing and playing the 
flute, he had his ears changed into those of 
an ass by the god. 

Miletus. One of the greatest cities of Asia 
Minor, belonged territorially to Caria and 
politically to Ionia, being the southmost of 
the twelve cities of the Ionian confederacy. 

Milo. A celebrated athlete of Crotona in Italy. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 183 

He is said to have carried on his shoulders a 
bullock for a considerable distance, and to 
have killed it with a blow from his fist, and 
eaten it in one day. In his old age he at- 
tempted to pull up a tree by the roots, which, 
when half-cleft, re-united, and, his hands re- 
maining imprisoned in the tree, he was eaten 
by wild beasts, about 500 years before the 
Christian era. 
Miltiades. Son of Simon, was sent by the Athe- 
nians to take possession of the Chersonesus. 
On his arrival he seized some of the principal 
inhabitants of the country, made himself ab- 
solute in Chersonese, and married the daugh- 
ter of Olorus, king of the Thracians. He was 
present at the celebrated battle of Marathon, 
where the command was ceded to him, owing 
to his superior abilities. He obtained the 
victory, but an olive crown, which he de- 
manded from his fellow-citizens as a reward 
for his valor, was refused. Afterwards he 
was intrusted with a fleet of seventy 
ships, with which he proceeded to attack 
the Isle of Paros. At first he was suc- 
cessful, but afterward fortune frowned on 
him. He was accused of treason and con- 
demned to death, but his sentence was, owing 
to his great services, commuted to a fine of 
fifty talents. Being unable to pay this, he 
was thrown into prison, where he died. In 
Childe Harold, canto ii., Lord Byron alludes 
to Marathon as 



184 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



,l The battle-field where Persia's victim horde 
First bow'd beneath the brunt of Hellas' sword." 

Minerva. The goddess of wisdom, war, and all 
the liberal arts, sprang, full-grown and 
armed, from the head of Jupiter, and was 
immediately admitted to the assembly of the 
gods, and became one of the most faithful 
counselors of her father. Her power in 
heaven was great : she could hurl the 
thunders of Jupiter, prolong the life of men, 
and bestow the gift of prophecy. She was 
known among the ancients by many names. 
She was called Athena, Pallas, Parthenos, 
Tritonia (because she was worshipped near 
the lake Tritonis) and Hippia (because she 
first taught mankind how to manage the 
horse), Sais (because she was worshipped at 
Sais), and some other names. She is usually 
represented with a helmet on her head, a 
spear in one hand, and a shield, ornamented 
with the head of Medusa, in the other. 
Temples were erected for her worship in differ- 
ent places, one of the most renowned of which 
was the "Parthenon" at Athens. From 
this building a large collection of ancient 
sculpture was brought to the British Museum 
by Lord Elgin more than seventy years ago, 
which is known as the Elgin Marbles. Lord 
Byron wrote a scathing satire in reference to 
the removal of these marbles, familiar to his 
readers under the title of The Curse of 
Minerva. He describes the goddess as 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



185 



appearing, grief-stricken, to appeal against 
what his lordship deemed a desecration : 

" Yes, 'twas Minerva's self ; but ah, how changed 
Since o'er the Dardan field in arms she ranged ! 
Not such as erst, by her divine command, 
Her form appear'd from Phidias' plastic hand ; 
Gone were the terrors of her awful brow, 
Her idle aegis bore no Gorgon now." 

Minos. A king of Crete, son of Jupiter and 
Europa, who gave laws to his subjects b. c. 
1406 which remained in full force in the age 
of Plato. 

Minotaurus. A celebrated monster, half a man 
and half a bull, for which a number of young 
Athenian men and maidens were yearly 
exacted to be devoured. The Minotaur was 
confined in a famous labyrinth in Crete, 
where at length it was slain by Theseus, who 
was guided out of the labyrinth by a clew of 
thread given to him by Ariadne, daughter of 
King Minos. 

Mithras. The god of the sun among the Persians. 
Under the Roman emperors his worship was 
introduced at Rome. The god is commonly 
represented as a handsome youth, wearing 
the Phrygian cap and attire, and kneeling on 
a bull, whose throat he is cutting. 

Mithridates First. He was king of Pontus and 
tributary to the crown of Persia : his attempts 
to make himself independent of that fealty 
proved fruitless, being defeated in a battle 
which he had provoked, and having to sue for 
peace. 



l86 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Mithridates. Surnamed Eupator and The 
Great, succeeded to the throne of Pontus 
when eleven years of age. The beginning of 
his reign was marked by ambition and cruelty. 
At an early age he inured himself to hard- 
ships by devoting himself to manly exercises, 
and sleeping in the open air on the bare earth. 
He was constantly engaged in warfare against 
the Romans, and his contests with them are 
known as the " Mithridatic wars." His hatred 
of the Romans was so great that, to destroy 
their power, he ordered all of them that were 
in his dominions to be massacred ; and in one 
night 150,000 according to Plutarch, or 80,000 
according to another authority, were slaugh- 
tered. This cruel act called for revenge, 
and great armies were sent against him. 
After varied fortunes Mithridates had to 
succumb to Pompey, and, worn out with 
misfortune, attempted to poison himself, but 
unsuccessfully, as the numerous antidotes to 
poison which in early life he had taken, 
strengthened his constitution to resist the 
effect. He then ordered one of his soldiers 
to give him the fatal blow with a sword, 
which was done. He died about sixty-three 
years before the Christian era, in his seventy- 
second year. He is said to have been the 
most formidable opponent the Romans ever 
had, and Cicero estimates him as the greatest 
monarch that ever sat upon a throne. It is 
recorded of him that he conquered twenty- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I8 7 



four nations, whose different languages he 
knew and spoke fluently. There were a 
number of persons of the same name, but of 
inferior note. 
Mnemosyne. A daughter of Coelus and Terra, 
mother of the nine Muses. Jupiter assumed 
the form of a shepherd in order to enjoy her 
company. 

Moirae {The Fates). They were called Parcae 
by the Romans, and were three in number, 
viz., Clotho, or the spinning fate; Lachesis, 
or the one who assigns to man his fate ; and 
Atropos, or the fate that cannot be avoided. 

Momus. The god of mirth amongst the ancients, 
according to Hesiod, was the son of Nox. 
He amused himself by satirizing the gods 
by turning into ridicule whatever they 
did. 

Moneta. Surname of Juno among the Romans 
as the protectress of money. 

Morpheus. A minister of the god Somnus, who 
imitated very naturally the gestures, words, 
and manners of mankind. He is sometimes 
called the god of sleep. He is generally 
represented as a sleeping child, of great 
corpulence, with wings. 

Mors. The god of death. He is represented as a 
son of Night and a brother of Sleep, and is 
called Thanatos by the Greeks. 

Moschus. A Greek bucolic poet in the age of 
Ptolemy Philadelphus. His eclogues are 
characterized by sweetness and elegance, 



l88 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



and are said to be equal in merit to the 
productions of Theocritus. 

Mosella (Mosel, Moselle). A river in Gallia 
Belgica, rising in Mount Vogesus, and falling 
into the Rhine at Confluentes (Coblenz). 

Murena. A celebrated Roman, who invaded the 
dominions of Mithridates, at first with success, 
but afterward he met with defeat. He was 
honored with a triumph on his return to 
Rome. 

Musae {The Muses). The goddesses who pre- 
sided over poetry, music, dancing, and all 
the liberal arts. They were daughters of 
Jupiter and Mnemosyne, and were nine in 
number, Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, 
Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Calliope, 
and Urania. 

Mycenae. A town of Argolis said to have been 
built by Perseus. It received its name from 
Mycene, a nymph of Laconia. It was taken 
and destroyed by the Argives. 

Myrmidones. An Achaean race in Phthiotis in 
Thessaly, whom Achilles ruled over, and who 
accompanied this hero to Troy. 

Mytilene or Mitylene. The chief city of Lesbos. 

Naiades. Inferior deities who presided over 
rivers, springs, wells, and fountains. The 
Naiads generally inhabited the country, and 
resorted to the woods and meadows near the 
stream over which they preside. They are 
represented as young and beautiful girls 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



189 



leaning on an urn, from which flows a stream 
of water. Aegle was the fairest of them, 
according to Vergil. The word Naiad has 
become Anglicized, and is in frequent use, 
especially by the poets. Thus Scott says 
in his Lady of the Lake, canto i. verse 17 : 

" In listening - mood she seem'd to stand 
The guardian Naiad of the strand." 

Naisus, Naissus, or Naesus (Nzssa). A town of 
Upper Moesia, situated on an eastern tribu- 
tary of the Margus, and celebrated as the 
birthplace of Constantine the Great. 

Narcissus. A beautiful youth, son of Cephisus 
and the nymph Liriope, was born at Thespis 
in Boeotia. He saw his image reflected in a 
fountain and became in love with it, thinking 
it to be the nymph of the place. His fruit- 
less attempts to reach this beautiful object 
so provoked him that he killed himself. His 
blood was changed into a flower which still 
bears his name. 

Nauplia. The port of Argos, situated on the 
Saronic Gulf, was never a place of importance 
in antiquity, but is at the present day one of 
the chief cities in Greece. 

Neapolis {Naples). A city in Campania, at the 
head of a beautiful bay and on the western 
slope of Mount Vesuvius. 

Nebo. A mountain of Palestine, on the eastern 
side of the Jordan, and in the southern part 
of the range called Abarim. It was on a 



I90 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



summit of this mountain, called Pisgah, that 
Moses died. 

Necessitas. Called Ananke by the Greeks, the 
personification of Necessity, is represented 
as a powerful goddess, whom neither gods 
nor men can resist. She carries in her hand 
brazen nails, with which she fixes the decrees 
of fate. 

Nemaea. A town of Argolis, with a wood where 
Hercules in the sixteenth year of his age 
killed the celebrated Nemaean lion. It was 
the first of the labors of Hercules to destroy 
the monster, and when he found that his 
arrows and clubs were useless against an 
animal whose skin was impenetrable, he' 
seized it in his arms and strangled it. 

Nemesis. One of the infernal deities, daughter 
of Nox. She was the goddess of vengeance. 
She is made one of the Parcae by some 
mythologists, and is represented with a helm 
and a wheel. The term is sometimes used 
to signify vengeance itself. 

Neoptolemus. A king of Epirus, son of Achilles 
and Deidamia, called also Pyrrhus. He 
greatly signalized himself during the siege 
of Troy, and he was the first who entered 
the wooden horse. He was inferior to none of 
the Grecian warriors in valor. Ulysses and 
Nestor alone were his superiors in eloquence 
and wisdom. 

Nepos, Cornelius. A celebrated historian in the 
reign of Augustus, and, like the rest of his 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I 9 I 



literary contemporaries, he enjoyed the 
patronage and obtained the favor of the 
emperor. He was the intimate friend of 
Cicero and Atticus, and recommended him- 
self to notice by delicacy of sentiment and a 
lively disposition. Of all his valuable works 
the only one extant is his Lives of Illustri- 
ous Greek and Roman Generals. 
Neptunus. One of the gods, son of Saturn and 
Ops, and brother to Jupiter and Pluto. He 
was devoured by his father as soon as he was 
born, and restored to life again by a potion 
given to Saturn, by Metis, the first wife of 
Jupiter. Neptune shared with his brothers 
the empire of Saturn, and received as his 
portion the kingdom of the sea. He did not 
think this equivalent to the empire of heaven 
and earth which Jupiter had claimed, there- 
fore he conspired to dethrone him. The 
conspiracy was discovered, and Jupiter con- 
demned Neptune to build the walls of Troy. 
He married Amphitrite, who thus broke a 
vow she had made of perpetual celibacy. 
The term Neptune is often used to signify 
the sea itself; thus Shakespeare, in his 
Tempest, act v. scene 1, says: 

" Ye that on the sands with printless foot 
. Do chase the ebbing Neptune " 

Nereides. Nymphs of the sea, daughters of 
Nereus and Doris. According to most of 
the mythologists, they were fifty in number. 
They are represented as young and handsome 



I92 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



girls, sitting on dolphins and armed with 
tridents. 

Nereus. Son of Pontus and Gaea, and husband 
of Doris, by whom he became the father of 
the fifty Nereides. He is described as the 
wise and unerring old man of the sea. 

Nero, Claudius Domitius Caesar. A celebrated 
Roman emperor, son of Caius Domitius 
Ahenobarbus and Agrippina, the daughter of 
Germanicus. His name is the synonym for 
cruelty and vice. In the night it was his 
wont to sally out from his palace to visit the 
meanest taverns and the different scenes of 
depravity that were " to be found. He 
appeared on the stage, sometimes represent- 
ing the meanest characters. He resolved to 
imitate the burning of Troy, and caused 
Rome to be set on fire in different places, 
the flames being unextinguished for nine 
days, and he enjoyed the terrible scene. 
During the conflagration he placed himself 
on the top of a tower and sang, accompany- 
ing himself on a lyre, of the destruction of 
Troy. Many conspiracies were formed 
against him, the most dangerous of which he 
was saved from by the confession of a slave. 
He killed himself, a. d. 68, in the thirty-second 
year of his age, after a reign of thirteen 
years and eight months. Wretch that he 
was, it is said that he had some few to mourn 
for him, and Suetonius records that some 
unseen hand had placed flowers on his tomb. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



193 



This incident is alluded to by Lord Byron in 
these exquisite lines at the end of the third 
canto of Don Juan : 

" When Nero perish'd by the justest doom, 

Which ever the destroyer yet destroy'd, 
Amidst the roar of liberated Rome, 

Of nations freed, and the world overjoy'd, 
Some hands unseen strew'd flowers upon his tomb ; 

Perhaps the weakness of a heart not void 
Of feeling for some kindness done when power 

Had left the wretch an uncorrupted hour." 

Nerva, M. Cocceius. A Roman emperor after 
the death of Domitian, a. d. 96. He rendered 
himself popular by his mildness and gen- 
erosity. In his civil character he set an ex- 
ample of good manners and sobriety. He 
made an oath that no senator should suffer 
death during his reign, which he carried out 
by pardoning two members of the senate who 
had conspired against his life. He died in 
his seventy-second year, a. d. 98, and was 
succeeded by his son Trajan. 

Nestor. A son of Neleus and Chloris, nephew 
to Pelias, and grandson to Neptune. He 
was present at the bloody battle between 
the Lapithae and the Centaurs, which took 
place at the nuptials of Pirithous. As king 
of Pyloshe led his soldiers to the Trojan war, 
where he distinguished himself among the 
Grecian chieftains by eloquence, wisdom, 
and prudence. Homer makes his character 
as the most perfect of all his heroes. After 
the Trojan war, Nestor retired to Greece, 



194 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



where he lived during his declining years in 
peace and tranquillity. The manner and 
time of his death are unknown. 

Nice. Called Victoria by the Romans, the god- 
dess of victory, is described as a daughter of 
Pallas and Styx, and as a sister cf Zelus 
(zeal), Cratos (strength), and Bia (force). 
Nice had a celebrated temple on the Acropolis 
of Athens, which is still extant. She is often 
represented in ancient works of art, especially 
with other divinities, such as Zeus (Jupiter) 
and Athena (Minerva), and with conquering 
heroes, whose horses she guides. In her 
appearance she resembles Athena, but has 
wings, and carries a palm or a wreath, and 
is engaged in raising a trophy, or in inscrib- 
ing the victory of the conqueror on a shield. 

Nicias. A celebrated Athenian general, by 
whose influence peace was concluded with 
Sparta in b. c. 421. 

Nicolaus Damascenus. A Greek historian, was 
a native of Damascus. Some fragments of 
his works have come down to us, of which 
the most important is a portion of a life of 
Augustus. 

Nilus {The Nile). One of the most important 
rivers of the world, flowing through Aethio- 
pia and Egypt northwards into the Mediter- 
ranean Sea. 

Ninus. A son of Belus. He built Nineveh and 
founded the Assyrian monarchy, of which he 
was the first sovereign, b. c. 2059. He mar- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



195 



ried Semiramis, whose husband had de- 
stroyed himself through fear of Ninus. He 
reigned fifty-two years. 

Niobe. A daughter of Tantalus, king of Lydia, 
and Euryanassa, or Dione. She married 
Amphion, and, according to Hesiod, they 
had ten sons and ten daughters. All the 
sons of Niobe expired by the darts of Apollo, 
and all the daughters, except Chloris, were 
destroyed by Diana. Niobe, overwhelmed 
with grief, was changed into a stone. 

Nisus. King of Megara and father of Scylla. 
Scylla, having fallen in love with Minos when 
he was besieging Megara, pulled out the 
purple hair which grew on the top of her 
father's head, and on which his life depended. 
Nisus thereupon died, and Minos, getting 
possession of the city, ordered Scylla to be 
drowned in the Saronic Gulf. Scylla, the 
daughter of Nisus, is sometimes confounded 
by the poets with Scylla, the daughter of 
Phorcus. 

Nomades. A name given to people who had 
no fixed habitation, and who continually 
changed their place of residence in quest of 
fresh pastures for the cattle they tended. 
There were Nomades in Scythia, India, 
Arabia, etc. The word is in constant use as 
Anglicized — Nomad — meaning anyone who 
leads a wandering and unsettled life. 

Nomius ( The Pasturer). A surname of divini- 
ties protecting the pastures and shepherds, 



I96 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



such as Apollo, Pan, Hermes (Mercury), and 
Aristaeus. 

Nonacris. A town in the north of Arcadia, sur- 
rounded by lofty mountains, in which the 
river Styx took its origin. 

Not us. Called Auster by the Romans, the south 
wind, or strictly the southwest wind, which 
brought with it fogs and rain. 

Nox. One of the most ancient deities among 
the heathens, daughter of Chaos. She gave 
birth to the Day and the Light, and was 
mother of the Parcae, Hesperides, Dreams, 
Death, etc. 

Numa Pompilius. A celebrated philosopher of 
Cures. He married Tatia, daughter of Ta- 
tius, king of the Sabines, and at her death 
he retired into the country to devote himself 
to literary pursuits. At the death of Romu- 
lus the Romans fixed on him to be their new 
king. Numa at first refused the offer of the 
crown, but at length was prevailed on to 
accept it. He endeavored to inculcate into 
the minds of his subjects a reverence for the 
deity, and he did all he could to heal their 
dissensions. He encouraged the report of 
his visits to the nymph Egeria, and made 
use of her name to give sanction to the laws 
which he had made. He dedicated a temple 
to Janus, which, during his whole reign, re- 
mained closed as a mark of peace and 
tranquillity at Rome. Numa died after a 
reign of forty-three years, b. c. 672, during 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I 9 7 



which he had given encouragement to the 
* useful arts, and had cultivated peace. 

Numicius or Numicus (Numieo). A small river 
in Latium flowing into the Tyrrhene Sea near 
Ardea, on the banks of which was the tomb 
of Aeneas. 

Numidia. A country of northern Africa. 

Nursia. A town of the Sabines, situated near 
the sources of the Nar and amid the Apen- 
nines, whence it is called by Vergil frigida 
Nursia. It was the birthplace of Sertorius 
and of the mother of Vespasian. 

Nymphae. Certain female deities among the 
ancients. They were generally divided 
into two classes — nymphs of the land and 
nymphs of the sea. Of the former some 
presided over woods, and were called Dryades 
and Hamadryades. Of the sea nymphs some 
were called Oceanides, Nereides, Naiades, 
etc. 

Oasis. The Greek form of an Egyptian word 
which was used to denote an island in the 
sea of sand of the great Libyan Desert. 
These oases are preserved from the shifting 
sands by steep hills of limestone round 
them, and watered by springs, which make 
them fertile and habitable. 

Oceanides and Oceanitides. Sea nymphs, 
daughters of Oceanus, from whom they re- 
ceived their name. According to Apollo- 
dorus they were three thousand in number, 



198 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



while Hesiod speaks of them as consisting of 
forty-one. 

Oceanus. A powerful deity of the sea, son of 
Coelus and Terra. He married Tethys, the 
Oceanides being their children. 

Octavia. A Roman lady, sister to the emperor 
Augustus, celebrated for her beauty and 
virtues. She married Claudius Marcellus, 
and, after his death, Antony, who for some 
time was attentive to her, but eventually 
deserted her for Cleopatra. 

Octavianus, or Octavius Caesar. The first Ro- 
man emperor, who, after the battle of 
Actium, had bestowed on him by the senate 
the surname Augustus, as expressing his 
dignity and greatness. 

Odenatus. A celebrated prince of Palmyra. At 
an early period of his life he inured himself 
to bear fatigue by hunting wild beasts. He 
was a faithful ally of the Romans, and gave 
great offense to Sapor, king of Persia, in con- 
sequence. In the warfare which ensued he 
obtained advantage over the troops of Sapor, 
and took his wife prisoner, besides gaining 
great booty. He died by the hand of one of 
his relations whom he had offended. Zenobia 
succeeded him on the throne. 

Oeagrus or Oeager. King of Thrace, and father 
of Orpheus and Linus. Hence Oeagrius is 
used by the poets as equivalent to Thracian. 

Oedipus. A son of Laius, king of Thebes, and 
Jocasta. Laius was informed by the oracle, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



I 99 



as soon as he married Jocasta, that he would 
perish by the hands of his son. On his birth 
Oedipus was given to a domestic, with orders 
to expose him to death on the mountains, 
where he was found by one of the shepherds 
of Polybus, king of Corinth. Periboea, the 
wife of Polybus, educated him as her own 
child, tending him with great care. In after 
life he met Laius in a narrow lane in a chariot, 
and, being haughtily ordered to make way for 
Laius, a combat ensued in which Laius was 
slain. After this Oedipus was attracted to 
Thebes by the fame of the Sphinx, who de- 
voured all those who attempted to explain 
without success the enigmas which she 
propounded. The enigma proposed by the 
Sphinx to Oedipus was: What animal in the 
morning walks upon tour feet, at noon upon 
two, and in the evening upon three? Oedipus 
solved the riddle by replying that the animal 
was man, who in childhood crawls on his 
hands and feet, on attaining manhood walks 
on two feet erect, and in the evening of life 
supports his tottering steps with a staff. The 
monster, on hearing the correct solution of 
the riddle, dashed her head against a rock 
and perished. 
Oeneus. A king of Calydon, son of Parthaon or 
Portheus and Euryte. He married Althaea, 
their children being Clymenus, Meleager, 
Gorge, and Dejanira. In a general sacrifice 
he made to the gods he slighted Diana, who, 



200 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



in revenge, sent a wild boar to waste his 
country. The animal was killed by Meleager 
in the celebrated Calydonian boar hunt. 
After this, misfortunes overtook Oeneus, and 
he exiled himself from Calydon, and died on 
his way to Argolis. 

Oenomaus King of Pisa, in Elis, and father of 
Hippodamia. He was told by the oracle that 
he would perish by his son-in-law. Being 
skillful in driving a chariot, he announced 
that he would give his daughter in marriage 
only to someone who could defeat him in a 
race, death being the result to those who were 
defeated. After a number of aspirants had 
contended and failed, Pelops, son of Tantalus, 
entered the lists, and by bribing the chariot- 
eer of Oenomaus, who provided a chariot 
with a broken axle-tree, Pelops won the race, 
and married Hippodamia becoming king of 
Persia. Oenomaus was killed in the race. 

Oenone. Daughter of the river-god Cebren, and 
wife of Paris, before he carried off Helen. 

Olympia. Celebrated games which received their 
name either from Olympia, where they were 
observed, or from Jupiter Olympius, to whom 
they were dedicated. 

Olympias. Wife of Philip II., king of Mace- 
donia, and mother of Alexander the Great, 
was the daughter of Neoptolemus L, king of 
Epirus. She withdrew from Macedonia when 
Philip married Cleopatra, the niece of Attalus, 
B. c. 337; and it was generally believed that 




See page 191. 

Neptune. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



201 



she lent her support to the assassination of 
Philip in 336. 

Olympius {The Olympian). A surname of Zeus 
(Jupiter), Hercules, the Muses [Olympiades), 
and in general of all the gods who were be- 
lieved to live in Olympus, in contradistinc- 
tion from the gods of the lower world. 

Olympus. A mountain in Macedonia and Thes- 
saly. The ancients supposed that it touched 
the heavens, and thus they have made it the 
residence of the gods, and the place where 
Jupiter held his court. On the top of the 
mountain, according to the poets, eternal 
spring reigned. 

Olynthus. A town of Chalcidice, at the head of 
the Toronaic Gulf, and the most important of 
the Greek cities on the coast of Macedonia. 
It was taken and destroyed by Philip, b. c. 
347. The Olynthiac Orations of Demosthe- 
nes were delivered by the orator to urge the 
Athenians to send assistance to the city when 
it was attacked by Philip. 

Omphale. A queen of Lydia, daughter of Jar- 
danus. She married Tmolus, who at his 
death left her mistress of his kingdom. She 
had heard of the exploits of Hercules, and 
wished to see him. After he had slain 
Eurytus, Hercules was ordered to be sold as 
a slave, and was purchased by Omphale, 
who gave him his liberty. He fell in love 
with Omphale, who reciprocated his passion. 
He is represented by the poets as being so 



202 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



infatuated with her that he sat spinning by 
her side surrounded by her women, while 
she garbed herself with his lion's skin, arm- 
ing herself with his club. 

Oppianus. A Greek poet of Cilicia. He wrote 
some poems celebrated for their sublimity 
and elegance. Caracalla gave him a piece 
of gold for every verse in one of his poems. 
Oppian died of the plague in the thirtieth 
year of his age. 

Ops. A daughter of Coelus and Terra, the same 
as the Rhea of the Greeks, who married 
Saturn, and became mother of Jupiter. She 
was known among the ancients by the dif- 
ferent names of Cybele, Bona Dea, Magna 
Mater, Thya, Tellus, and Proserpina. 

Opus. A town of Locris, from which the Opun- 
tian Locrians derived their name. It was 
the birthplace of Patroclus. 

Orbilius Pupillus. A Roman grammarian and 
schoolmaster, best known to us from his hav- 
ing been the teacher of Horace, who gives 
him the epithet of ftlagosus, from the severe 
floggings which his pupils received from him. 

Orestes. A son of Agamemnon and Clytem- 
nestra. His father was slain by Clytem- 
nestra and Aegisthus, but young Orestes was 
saved from his mother's dagger by his sister 
Electra, called by Homer, Laodicea, and was 
conveyed to the house of Strophius, king of 
Phocis, who had married a sister of Aga- 
memnon. He was indulgently treated by 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



203 



Strophius, who educated him with his son 
Pylades. The two young princes formed the 
most inviolable friendship. When Orestes 
had arrived at years of manhood he avenged 
his father's death by killing his mother 
Clytemnestra. 
Origen. A Greek writer, celebrated for his 
learning and the sublimity of his genius. He 
suffered martyrdom in his sixty-ninth year. 
His works are numerous, consisting of com- 
mentaries on the Scriptures and various 
treatises. 

Orion. Son of Hyrieus, of Hyria in Boeotia, 
a handsome giant and hunter. Having 
come to Chios, he fell in love with Merope, 
the daughter of Oenopion ; his treatment 
of the maiden so exasperated her father, that, 
with the assistance of Dionysus (Bacchus) 
he deprived the giant of his sight. Being 
informed by an oracle that he should recover 
his sight if he exposed his eyeballs to the 
rays of the rising sun, Orion found his way 
to the island of Lemnos, where Hephaestus 
(Vulcan) gave him Cedalion as his guide, 
who led him to the East. After the re- 
covery of his sight he lived as a hunter 
with Artemis (Diana). The cause of his 
death is disputed. According to some he 
was beloved by Artemis ; and Apollo, indig- 
nant at his sister's affection for him, asserted 
that she was unable to hit with her arrow a 
distant point which he showed her in the 



204 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



sea. She thereupon took aim, the arrow hit 
its mark, but the mark was the head of Orion, 
who was swimming in the sea. After his death 
Orion was placed among the stars, where he 
appears as a giant with a girdle, sword, a 
lion's skin, and a club. The constellation of 
Orion set at the commencement of Novem- 
ber, at which time storms and rain were 
frequent ; hence he is often called imbrifer, 
nimbosus , or aquostts. 

Orithyia. Daughter of Erechtheus, king of 
Athens, and of Praxithea, who was seized by 
Boreas, and carried off to Thrace, where she 
became the mother of Cleopatra, Chione, 
Zetes, and Calais. 

Orpheus. A son of Oeger and the Muse Calliope. 
Some suppose him to be the son of Apollo. 
He received a lyre from Apollo, or, according 
to some, from Mercury, on which he played 
in such a masterly manner that the melodious 
sounds caused rivers to cease to flow, and 
savage beasts to forget their wildness. He 
married Eurydice, who died from the bite of 
a serpent. Orpheus felt her death acutely, 
and to recover her he visited the infernal re- 
gions. Pluto, the king of the infernal re- 
gions, was enraptured with the strains of 
music from the lyre of Orpheus; and, accord- 
ing to the poets, the wheel of Ixion stopped, 
the stone of Sisyphus stood still, Tantalus 
forgot his burning thirst, and even the Furies 
relented, so fascinating were the sounds ex- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



205 



tracted from the lyre. Pluto was moved by 
the sorrow of Orpheus, and consented to re- 
store Eurydice to him, provided he forbore to 
look behind him till he had reached the ex- 
tremity of his domain. Orpheus agreed to 
this, but forgot his promise, and turned round 
to look at Eurydice, who instantly vanished 
from his sight. After this he separated him- 
self from the society of mankind, and the 
Thracian women, whom he had offended by 
his coldness, attacked him while they, cele- 
brated the orgies of Bacchus, and after they 
had torn his body to pieces they threw his 
head into the Hebrus. Mr. Wiffen, in a 
translation from the Spanish of Garcilaso de 
la Vega, thus beautifully alludes to the 
strains of Orpheus : 

" Had I the sweet resounding lyre, 

Whose voice could in a moment chain 
The howling wind's ungovern'd ire 

And movement of the raging main, 

On savage hill the leopard rein, 
The lion's fiery soul entrance, 

And lead along, with golden tones, 

The fascinated trees and stones, 
In voluntary dance." 

Orthia. A surname of Artemis at Sparta, at 
whose altar the Spartan boys had to un- 
dergo the flogging called diamastigosis. 

Orthrus. The two-headed dog of Geryones. 

Osiris. A great deity of the Egyptians, husband 
of Isis. The ancients differ in opinion con- 
cerning this celebrated god, but they all agree 



206 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



that as ruler of Egypt he took care to civilize 
his subjects, to improve their morals, to give 
them good and salutary laws, and to teach 
them agriculture. 

Ostia. A town at the mouth of the river Tiber, 
and the harbor of Rome. 

Ovidius, P. Naso. A celebrated Roman poet 
born at Sulmo. He was sent at an early age 
to Rome, and afterward went to Athens in 
the sixteenth year of his age, where his prog- 
ress in the study of eloquence was great. His 
natural inclination, however, was toward po- 
etry, and to this he devoted- his chief atten- 
tion. His lively genius and fertile imagina- 
tion soon gained him admirers ; the learned 
became his friends ; Vergil, Propertius, Hor- 
ace, and Tibullus honored him with their cor- 
respondence, and Augustus patronized him 
with unbounded liberality. These favors, 
however, were transitory, and he was ban- 
ished to a place on the Euxine Sea by order 
of the emperor. The true cause of his ban- 
ishment is not known. His friends ardently 
entreated the emperor to permit him to re- 
turn, but in vain, and he died in the seventh 
or eighth year of his banishment, in the fifty- 
ninth year of his age, a. d. 17. A great por- 
tion of his works remains. These consist of 
the Metamorphoses, Fasti, Epistolae, etc. 
While his works are occasionally disfigured 
by indelicacy, they are distinguished by 
great sweetness and elegance. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



207 



Pactolus. A celebrated river of Lydia. It was 
in this river that Midas washed himself when 
he turned into gold whatever he touched. 

Pactye. A town in the Thracian Chersonesus, 
on the Propontis, to which Alcibiades retired 
when he was banished by the Athenians, 
b. c. 407. 

Pacuvius, M. The greatest of the Roman tragic 
poets, was born about b. c. 220, at Brundu- 
sium, and was the son of the sister of Ennius. 
His tragedies were taken from the great 
Greek writers ; but he did not confine him- 
self, like his predecessors, to mere translation, 
but worked up his materials with more free- 
dom and independent judgment. 

Padus (Po). The chief river of Italy. 

Paean. A surname of Apollo derived from the 
word paean, a hymn which was sung in his 
honor for killing the serpent Python. 

Paetus. A cognomen in many Roman gentes, 
signified a person who had a slight cast in 
the eye. 

Pagasae or Pagasa. A town of Thessaly, on the 
coast of Magnesia. It was the port of Iolcos, 
and afterwards of Pherae, and is celebrated 
in mythology as the place where Jason built 
the ship Argo. 

Palaemon or Palemon. A sea deity, son of 
Athamas and Ino. His original name was 
Melicerta. He assumed the name of Palae- 
mon after being changed into a sea deity by 
Neptune. 



208 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Palaeste. A town on the coast of Epirus, and a 
little south of the Acroceraunian Mountains, 
where Caesar landed when he crossed over 
to Greece to carry on the war against 
Pompey. 

Palaestina. The Greek and Roman form of the 
Hebrew word which was used to denote the 
country of the Philistines, and which was 
extended to the whole country. The Romans 
called it Judaea, extending to the whole 
country the name of its southern part. It 
was regarded by the Greeks and Romans 
as a part of Syria 

Palamedes. A Grecian chief, son of Nauplius, 
king of Euboea, and Clymene. He was sent 
by the Greek princes, who were going to the 
Trojan war, to bring Ulysses to the camp, 
who, to withdraw himself from the expedi- 
tion, had pretended to be insane. Palamedes 
soon penetrated the deception, and Ulysses 
was obliged to join in the war, but an invet- 
erate enmity arose between the two, and by 
an unworthy artifice Ulysses procured the 
death of Palamedes. Palamedes is accredited 
with the invention of dice, backgammon, and 
other games. 

Palatinus Mons. A celebrated hill, the largest 
of the seven hills on which Rome was built. 

Palici. The Sicilian gods, twin sons of Zeus 
(Jupiter) and the nymph Thalia. Their 
mother, from fear of Hera (Juno), prayed to 
be swallowed up by the earth ; her prayer 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



209 



was granted ; but in due time twin boys 
issued from the earth, who were worshipped 
in the neighborhood of Mount Aetna, near 
Palice. 

Palladium. A celebrated statue of Pallas. It 
represented the goddess as holding a spear in 
her right hand and in her left a distaff and 
spindle. It fell down from heaven near the 
tent of Ilus as he was building the citadel of 
Ilium, while, according to others, it fell in 
Phrygia ; another account says Dardanus re- 
ceived it as a present from his mother Electra; 
other accounts are given of its origin. It is 
generally agreed, however, that on the pres- 
ervation of the statue the fate of Troy de- 
pended. This was known to the Greeks dur- 
ing the Trojan war, and they contrived to 
obtain possession of it. But some authors 
say that the true Palladium was not carried 
away by the Greeks, but only a statue which 
had been placed near it, and which bore some 
resemblance to it. 

Pallantias and Pallantis. Patronymics given to 
Aurora, the daughter of the giant Pallas. 

Pallas. A name of Minerva. She is said to 
have received the name because she killed a 
noted giant bearing that name. 

Palmyra. The capital of Palmyrene, a country 
on the eastern boundaries of Syria, now called 
Tadmor. It is famous as being the seat of 
government of the celebrated Queen Zenobia. 

Pan. The god of shepherds, huntsmen, and the 



210 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

inhabitants of the country. He was in ap- 
pearance a monster; he had two small horns 
on his head, and the legs, thighs, tail, and 
feet were like those of the goat. 

Panaetius. A native of Rhodes, and a cele- 
brated Stoic philosopher, lived some years at 
Rome, where he became an intimate friend 
of Laelius and of Scipio Africanus the 
younger. He succeeded Antipater as head 
of the Stoic school, and died at Athens. 
The principal work of Panaetius was his 
treatise on the theory of moral obligation, 
from which Cicero took the greater part of 
his work De Officiis. 

Pandarus. A son of Lycaon, who aided the 
Trojans in their war with the Greeks. He 
broke the truce which had been agreed on by 
the contending armies, and wounded Mene- 
aus and Diomedes. He was at last killed by 
Diomedes. 

Pandion. A king of Athens, father of Procne and 
Philomela. During his reign there was such 
an abundance of corn, wine, and oil in his 
realm that it was supposed that Bacchus and 
Minerva had personally visited the country. 

Pandora. A celebrated woman; the first mortal 
female that ever lived, according to Hesiod. 
She was made of clay by Vulcan, and having 
received life, all the gods made presents to 
her. Venus gave her beauty and the art of 
pleasing; the Graces gave her the power of 
captivating; Apollo taught her how to sing; 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



2 1 1 



Mercury instructed her in eloquence and 
brought her to Epimetheus, who made her 
his wife, forgetting the advice of his brother 
Prometheus, namely, not to receive any gifts 
from the gods. Pandora brought with her 
from heaven a box containing every human 
ill, upon the opening of which they all escaped 
and spread over the earth. Hope alone re- 
mained at the bottom of the box. 

Panomphaeus. The author of all signs and 
omens, a surname of Zeus (Jupiter). 

Pansa, C. Vibius. A Roman consul, who, with 
Hirtius, pursued the assassins of Caesar, and 
was killed in a battle near Mutina. 

Pantheon. A celebrated temple at Rome, built 
by Agrippa in the reign of Augustus, and 
dedicated to all the gods. 

Parcae {The Fates). Powerful goddesses who 
presided over the birth and life of mankind. 
They were three in number, Clotho, Lachesis, 
and Atropos, daughters of Nox and Erebus, 
according to Hesiod, or, according to what 
he says in another place, of Jupiter and 
Themis. 

Paris. The son of Priam, king of Troy, and 
Hecuba; he was also called Alexander. He 
was destined before his birth to cause the ruin 
of his country, and before he was> born his 
mother dreamt that he would be a torch which 
would set fire to her palace. The soothsayers 
predicted that he would be the cause of the 
destruction of Troy. In consequence of these 



212 



lOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



foretold calamities, Priam ordered a slave to 
destroy the child immediately after birth, but 
instead of acting thus the slave exposed the 
child on Mount Ida, where some shepherds 
found him and took care of him. Paris gave 
early proofs of courage, and his graceful 
countenance recommended him to Oenone, a 
nymph of Ida, whom he married. At the 
marriage of Peleus and Thetis the goddess of 
discord, who had not been invited, showed 
her displeasure by throwing into the assembly 
of the gods, who were at the nuptials, a 
golden apple, on which were the words : Let 
it be given to the fairest. The apple was 
claimed by Juno, Venus, and Minerva. Paris, 
who had been appointed to award it to the 
most be'autiful of the three goddesses, gave it 
to Venus. Subsequently Paris visited Sparta, 
where he persuaded Helen, wife of Menelaus, 
the most beautiful woman of the age, to elope 
with him. This caused the Trojan war. Dif- 
ferent accounts are given of the -death of 
Paris. 'By some he is said to have been killed 
by one of the arrows of Philoctetes which had 
once belonged to Hercules. 
Parnassus. A mountain of Phocis sacred to the 
Muses, and to Apollo and Bacchus. It was 
named thus after a son of Neptune who bore 
that designation. Lord Byron alludes to it 
in Childe Harold, -canto i.: 

4t Oh, thou Parnassus ! whom 1 now survey, 
Not in the frenzy of a dreamer's eye, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



213 



Not in the fabled landscape of a lav, 

But soaring snow-clad through thy native sky, 

In the wild pomp of mountain majesty ! " 

Parthenon. A temple of Athens sacred to Min- 
erva. It was destroyed by the Persians, 
and was rebuilt by Pericles. 

Parysatis. Daughter of Artaxerxes I. Longi- 
manus, king of Persia, and wife of her own 
brother Darius Ochus, and mother of Ar- 
taxerxes Mnemon and Cyrus. She supported 
the latter in his rebellion against his brother 
Artaxerxes, b. c. 401. She afterwards 
poisoned Statira, the wife of Artaxerxes, 
and induced the king to put Tissaphernes 
to death, whom she hated as having been 
the first to discover the designs of Cyrus to 
his brother. 

Pasiphae. A daughter of the Sun and of Perseis, 
who married Minos, king of Crete. She 
became the mother of the Minotaur, which 
was killed by Theseus. 

Patavium (Padua). An ancient town of the 
Veneti in the north of Italy. It is celebrated 
as the birthplace of the historian Livy. 

Patmos. One of the islands called Sporades, in 
the Icarian Sea, celebrated as the place to 
which the Apostle John was banished, and 
in which he wrote the Apocalypse. 

Patroclus. One of the Grecian chiefs during the 
Trojan war. He contracted an intimate 
friendship with Achilles, and when the 
Greeks went to the Trojan war Patroclus 



2 14 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



accompanied them. He was the constant 
companion of Achilles, living in the same 
tent, and when his friend refused to appear 
in the field of battle, because of being 
offended with Agamemnon, Patroclus imi- 
tated his example. Nestor, however, pre- 
vailed on him again to take the field, and 
Achilles lent him his armor. Hector en- 
countered him, and after a desperate fight 
slew him. The Greeks obtained his dead 
body, which was brought into the Grecian 
camp, where Achilles received it with great 
lamentation, and again taking the field, 
killed Hector, thus avenging the death of 
his friend. 

Paulus Aemilius. A Roman celebrated for his 
military achievements, surnamed Macedoni- 
ans, from his conquest of Macedonia. In 
early life he distinguished himself by his 
application and for his love for military dis- 
cipline. In his first consulship he reduced 
the Ligurians to subjection, and subsequently 
obtained a great victory over the Macedo- 
nians, making himself master of the country. 
In the office of censor, which he filled, he 
behaved with great moderation, and at his 
death, about 168 years before the Christian 
era, the Romans mourned deeply for him. 

Pausanias. A Spartan general who greatly sig- 
nalized himself at the battle of Plataea 
against the Persians. He afterward, at the 
head of the Spartan armies, extended his 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 2.5 

conquests in Asia, but the haughtiness of 
his behavior made him many enemies. He 
offered, on certain conditions, to betray 
Greece to the Persians, but his perfidy was 
discovered, on which he fled for safety to 
a temple of Minerva, where he was starved 
to death, b. c 471. 

Pavor {Fate). The attendant of Mars. 

Pax. The goddess of peace, called Irene by the 
Greeks. 

Pedius, Q. The great-nephew of the dictator C. 
Julius Caesar, being the grandson of Julia, 
Caesar's eldest sister. 

Pegasis. A term applied to the fountain Hip- 
pocrene, which was called forth by the hoof 
of Pegasus. The Muses are also called 
Pegasides , because the fountain Hippocrene 
was sacred to them. 

Pegasus. A winged horse sprung from the blood 
of Medusa. According to Ovid he fixed his 
abode on Mount Helicon, where, by striking 
the earth with his foot, he raised a fountain 
which has been called Hippocrene. 

Pelasgi. The earliest inhabitants of Greece, 
who established the worship of the Dodo- 
naean Zeus (Jupiter), Hephaestus (Vulcan), 
the Cabiri, and other divinities belonging to 
the earliest inhabitants of the country. 

Peleus. A king of Thessaly, son of Aeacus 
and Endeis, the daughter of Chiron. He 
married Thetis, one of the Nereids. 

Pelias. Son of Neptune and Tyro. On his birth 



2l6 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

he was exposed in the woods, but his life was 
preserved by some shepherds. Subsequently 
Tyro was married to Cretheus, king of Iolchos. 
They had three children, of whom Aeson was 
the eldest. Pelias visited his mother after 
the death of Cretheus, and usurped the 
authority which properly belonged to the 
children of the deceased monarch. Jason, 
the son of Aeson, who had been educated by 
Chiron, on attaining manhood demanded the 
kingdom the government of which Pelias 
had usurped. Jason was persuaded by Pelias 
to waive his claim for the present, and start 
on the Argonautic expedition. On his return, 
accompanied by the sorceress Medea, who 
undertook to restore Pelias to youth, explain- 
ing that it was necessary first to cut his body 
to pieces and place the limbs in a caldron 
of boiling water. This was done, when 
Medea refused to fulfill her promise, which 
she had solemnly made to the daughters of 
Pelias, who were four in number, and who 
had received the patronymic of the Peliades. 

Pelides. Achilles, the son of Peleus. 

Pelopidas. A celebrated general of Thebes, son 
of Hippoclus. It was owing to his valor and 
prudence, combined with the ability of Epam- 
inondas, that the famous victory of Leuctra 
was won. 

Peloponnesus (Morea). The southern part of 
Greece, or the peninsula which was con- 
nected with Hellas proper by the isthmus of 




See page 194, 

Nice (Victoria). 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



217 



Corinth. It is said to have derived its name 
— Peloponnesus, or the Island of Pelops — 
from the mythical Pelops. - 

Pelops. A celebrated prince, son of Tantalus, 
king of Phrygia. He was killed by his father, 
and served up as a feast to the gods, who had 
visited Phrygia. He was restored to life, and 
married Hippodamia, having won her through 
defeating her father in a chariot race. 

Penates. Certain inferior deities among the Ro- 
mans, who presided over the domestic affairs 
of families. 

Penelope. A celebrated princess of Greece, 
daughter of Icarius, and wife of Ulysses, 
king of Ithaca. She became the mother of 
Telemachus, and was obliged to part, with 
great reluctance, from her husband, when the 
Greeks compelled him to go to the Trojan 
war. The strife between the hostile forces 
continued for ten years, and when Ulysses did 
not return home at the conclusion of the war 
her fears and anxieties became overwhelm- 
ing. She was beset by a number of suitors, 
who told her that her husband would never 
return. She received their advances with 
coldness, but as she was devoid of power, 
and, as it were, almost a prisoner in their 
hands, she temporized with them. After 
twenty years' absence Ulysses returned, and 
at once delivered her from the persecutions 
of her suitors Penelope is described by 
Homer as a model of female propriety, whilst 



2l8 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



some more modern writers dispute the cor- 
rectness of this view. The accounts given 
by different authors respecting her, in fact, 
differ materially. By some she is said to 
have been the mother of Pan. 
Penthesilea. A queen of the Amazons, daughter 
of Mars. She came to assist Priam in the last 
years of the Trojan war, and was slain by 
Achilles. 

Perga. An ancient and important city of Pam- 
phylia. It was the first place in Asia Minor 
visited by the apostle Paul on his first mis- 
sionary journey. 

Pergamus. The citadel of the city of Troy. The 
word is often used to signify Troy. From it 
Xerxes reviewed his troops as he marched to 
invade Greece. 

Periander. Son of Cypselus. He was very com- 
monly reckoned among the Seven Sages. 

Pericles. An Athenian of noble family, son of 
Xanthippus and Agariste. His naturally 
great mental powers were much improved 
by attending the lectures of Zeno and other 
philosophers. He became a commander, a 
statesman, and an orator, and gained the es- 
teem of the people by his address and liber- 
ality. In ' his ministerial capacity Pericles 
did not enrich himself. The prosperity and 
happiness of Athens was his primary ob- 
ject. He made war against the Lacedae- 
monians, and restored the temple of Delphi 
to the care of the Phocians, who had been 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



219 



improperly deprived of that honorable trust. 
The Peloponnesian war was fomented by his 
ambitious views. He at length lost his popu- 
larity, but only temporarily, and he was 
restored to all the honors of which he had 
been deprived. A pestilence which prevailed 
proved fatal to him in his seventieth year, 
about b. c. 429. 
Perse or Persa. Daughter of Oceanus, and wife 
of Helios (the Sun), by whom she became 
the mother of Aeetes, Circe, Pasiphae, and 
Perses. 

Persepolis. The capital of Persis and of the 

Persian empire. 
Perses. Son of Helios (the Sun) and Perse, 

brother of Aeetes and Circe, and father of 

Hecate. 

Perseus. A son of Jupiter and Danae, the 
daughter of Acrisius. It had been predicted 
by the oracle that Acrisius was to perish by 
his daughter's offspring, so Perseus, soon 
after his birth, was, with his mother Danae, 
thrown into the sea. Both were saved, and 
reached the island of Seriphos, where they 
were treated kindly by Polydectes, the king, 
who, however, soon became jealous of the 
genius of Perseus. Perseus had promised 
Polydectes to bring him the head of the Gor- 
gon Medusa. To enable him to obtain this, 
Pluto lent him a helmet which made the 
wearer invisible, Minerva gave him her buck- 
ler, and Mercury furnished him with wings. 



220 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Thus equipped he found the Gorgons, and cut 
off Medusa's head, with which he fled through 
the air, and from the blood which dropped 
from it sprang the horse Pegasus. During 
his flight Perseus discovered Andromeda 
chained to a rock to be devoured by a sea 
monster, which he destroyed, and married 
Andromeda. He now returned to Seriphos, 
where he turned into stone Polydectes by 
showing him Medusa's head. By an accident, 
in throwing a quoit, he killed Acrisius, thus 
fulfilling the prediction of the oracle. 
Perseus or Perses. A son of Philip, king of 
Macedonia. He distinguished himself by his 
enmity to the Romans, and when he had 
made sufficient preparations he declared war 
against them. He, however, wanted courage 
and resolution, and though he at first 
obtained some advantages over the Roman 
armies, his timidity proved destructive to his 
cause. He was defeated at Pydna, and soon 
after was taken prisoner, and died in prison 
at Rome. 

Persicus Sinus, Persicum Mare. The name 
given by the later geographers to the great 
gulf of the Mare Erythraeum {Indian Ocean), 
extending between the coast of Arabia and 
the opposite coast of Susiana, Persis, and 
Carmania, now called the Persian Gulf. 

Persis (Persia). Originally a small district 
of Asia, bounded on the southwest by 
the Persian Gulf, on the northwest and 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



221 



north by Susiana, Media, and Parthia, and 
on the east towards Carmania by no definite 
boundaries in the desert. In reading the 
Roman poets, it must be remembered that 
they constantly use Persae, as well as Medi, 
as a general term for the peoples east of the 
Euphrates and Tigris, and especially for the 
Parthians. 

Persius Flaccus, Aulus. A Latin poet of Vola- 
terrae. He was of a good family, and soon 
became intimate with the most illustrious 
Romans of his day. The early part of his 
life was spent in his native town, but at the 
age of sixteen he was removed to Rome, 
where he studied philosophy. He died in 
his thirtieth year, a. d. 62. The satires of 
Persius were read with pleasure and avidity 
by his contemporaries. 

Pertinax, Publius Helvius. A Roman emperor 
after the death of Commodus. He was 
descended from an obscure family, and for 
some time was employed in drying wood 
and making charcoal He entered on a 
military life, and by his valor rose to offices 
of the highest trust, and was made consul. 
At the death of Commodus he was selected 
to succeed to the throne. His patriotism 
gained him the affection of the worthiest of 
his subjects, but there were some who plotted 
against him. He was killed by his soldiers, 
a. d. 193. 

Petronius Arbiter. A favorite of Emperor Nero, 



222 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



and one of the ministers and associates of 
his pleasures and vices. He was made 
proconsul of Bithynia, and afterward was 
honored with the consulship. Eventually 
having gained the disfavor of Nero, he re- 
solved to destroy himself, which he did by 
having his veins opened, a. u. 66. Petronius 
distinguished himself by his writings as well 
as by his voluptuousness. He is the author 
of many elegant compositions, which are, 
however, often characterized by impropriety 
of language. 

Phaedra. A daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, 
who married Theseus. She became the 
mother of Acamas and Demophoon. She 
brought an unjust accusation against Hippo- 
lytus (a son of Theseus before she married 
him), who was killed by the horses in his 
chariot taking fright, causing him to be 
thrown under the wheels and crushed to 
death. On hearing this Phaedra acknowl- 
edged the falseness of the charge she had 
brought against Hippolytus, and hanged 
herself in despair. 

Phaedrus. A Thracian who became one of the 
freedmen of the emperor Augustus. He 
translated the fables of Aesop into Iambic 
verse. 

Phaethon. A son of the Sun, or of Phoebus and 
Clymene. According to Hesiod and Pausa- 
nias he was son of Cephalus and Aurora, or 
of Tithonus and Aurora according to Apollo- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



223 



dorus. He is, however, generally acknowl- 
edged to be son of Phoebus and Clymene. 
Phoebus allowed him to drive the chariot of 
the sun for one day. Phaethon, on receiving 
the reins, at once showed his incapacity ; the 
horses became unmanageable, and heaven 
and earth were threatened with a conflagra- 
tion, when Jupiter struck Phaethon with a 
thunderbolt, and hurled him into the river 
Po, where he perished. 

Phalaris. A tyrant of Agrigentum, who treated 
his subjects with great cruelty. Perillus 
made him a brazen bull, inside of which he 
proposed to place culprits, and by apply- 
ing fire burn them to death. The first to be 
burnt in this manner was Perillus himself. 
The cruelties practiced by Phalaris were 
revenged by a revolt of his people, who put 
him to death by burning him in the bull. 

Phaon. A boatman of Mitylene, in Lesbos. He 
received a box of ointment from Venus, who 
had presented herself to him in the form of 
an old woman. When he had rubbed him- 
self with the unguent he became beautiful, 
and Sappho, the celebrated poetess, became 
enamored of him. For a short time he 
devoted himself to her, but soon treated her 
with coldness, upon which she threw herself 
into the sea and was drowned. 

Pharmacusa. An island off the coast of Miletus, 
where Julius Caesar was taken prisoner by 
pirates. 



224 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Pharos. A small island in the bay of Alexan- 
dria, on which was built a tower which was 
considered one of the seven wonders of the 
world. It was erected in the reigns of 
Ptolemy Soter and Ptolemy Philadelphus, 
the architect being Sostratus, the son of 
Dexiphanes. 

Pharsalia. A town of Thessaly, famous for the 
great battle fought there between Julius 
Caesar and Pompey, in which the former 
obtained the victory. 

Pherecrates. One of the best poets of the Old 
Comedy, contemporary with Aristophanes. 
He invented a new meter, which was named, 
after him, the Pherecratean. 

Pheres. Son of Cretheus and Tyro, father of 
Admetus and Lycurgus, and founder of 
Pherae in Thessaly. Admetus, as the son of 
Pheres, is called Pheretiades . 

Phidias. A celebrated sculptor of Athens, 
who died b. c. 432. He executed a statue 
of Minerva, which was placed in the 
Pantheon. 

Phidon. A king of Argos, who extended his 
sovereignty over the greater part of the 
Peloponnesus. The most memorable act of 
Phidon was his introduction of copper and 
silver coinage, and a new scale of weights 
and measures, which, through his influence, 
became prevalent in the Peloponnesus, and 
ultimately throughout the greater portion of 
Greece. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



22 5 



Phigalia. A town in the southwest corner of 
Arcadia, on the frontiers of Messenia and 
Elis, which owes its celebrity in modern 
times to the remains of a splendid temple in 
its territory, built in the time of Pericles. 
The sculptures in alto-relievo, which orna- 
mented the frieze in the interior, are now 
preserved in the British Museum. They 
represent the combat of the Centaurs and 
the Lapithae, and of the Greeks and the 
Amazons. 

Philippi. A town of Macedonia, celebrated for 
two battles fought there, b. c. 42, between 
Augustus and Antony and the republican 
forces of Brutus and Cassius, in which the 
former were victorious. 

Philippus. King of Macedonia, son of Amyntas, 
king of Macedonia. He learned the art 
of war from Epaminondas. He married 
Olympias, the daughter of Neoptolemus r 
king of the Molossi, and became father of 
Alexander the Great. Among the most 
important events of his reign was the battle 
of Chaeronea, which he won from the Greeks. 
The character of Philip is that of a sagacious, 
prudent, but artful and intriguing monarch. 
He was assassinated by Pausanias at the 
celebration of the nuptials of his daughter, 
in the forty-seventh year of his age and the 
twenty-fourth of his reign, about 336 years 
before the Christian era. 

Philippus. The last king of Macedonia of that 



226 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



name, a son of Demetrius. He aspired to be- 
come the friend of Hannibal. His intrigues 
were discovered by the Romans, who in- 
vaded his territories, and extorted peace from 
him on terms which were humiliating. He 
died in the forty-second year of his reign, 179 
years before the Christian era. 

Philo. A Jewish writer of Alexandria, a. d. 40. 
His works related to the creation of the 
world, sacred history, and the laws and cus- 
toms of the Jewish nation. 

Philoctetes. One of the Argonauts. He re- 
ceived from Hercules the arrows which 
had been dipped in the gall of the Hydra. 
The Greeks, in the tenth year of the Trojan 
war, were informed by the oracle that Troy 
could not be taken without these arrows. 
Philoctetes repaired to the Grecian camp, 
where he destroyed a number of the Trojans, 
among whom was Paris, with the arrows. 
The adventures of Philoctetes are the subject 
of one of the best tragedies of Sophocles. 

Philomela. A daughter of Pandion, king of 
Athens. Her sister Procne had married 
Tereus, king of Thrace, and being separated 
from Philomela spent her time in great mel- 
ancholy. She persuaded her husband to go 
to Athens and bring her sister to Thrace. 
Tereus, on the journey, treated Philomela 
with great cruelty, and cut off her tongue, 
confining her in a lonely castle, and report- 
ing to Procne that she was dead. Philomela, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



227 



however, found means to inform Procne that 
she was living. In revenge for the cruelty 
of Tereus, Procne murdered his son and 
served him up as food at a banquet. On 
hearing this Tereus drew his sword to slay 
the sisters, when he was changed into a 
hoopoe, Philomela into a nightingale, and 
Procne into a swallow. In poetry we fre- 
quently find the nightingale alluded to as 
Philomela, as in this quatrain, which occurs 
in a contribution to the Etonian : 

" Hark ! upon the passing gale 
Philomela's plaintive wail ! 
Feelings how serene and tender 
Does the lovely music render." 

Philopoemen. A celebrated general of the 
Achaeans, born at Megalopolis. At an early 
age he distinguished himself in the field of 
battle, at the same time appearing fond of 
agriculture and a country life. He adopted 
Epaminondas as his model, and was not 
unsuccessful in imitating the prudence and 
other good qualities of the famous Theban. 
When Megalopolis was attacked by the 
Spartans, Philopoemen, then in his thirtieth 
year, gave the most decisive proofs of his 
valor. Raised to the rank of commander, 
he showed his ability to discharge that 
important trust by killing with his own hand 
Mechanidas, the tyrant of Sparta, and de- 
feating his army. Sparta having become, 
after its conquest, tributary to the Achaeans, 



228 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Philopoemen enjoyed the triumph of having 
subdued one of the most powerful states of 
Greece. He was at length made prisoner 
by the Messenians, and was treated by their 
general, Dinocrates, with great severity. 
He was poisoned in his seventieth year, 
about 183 years before the Christian era. 
Philostratus. A famous Sophist born at Lemnos, 
or, according to some, at Athens. He came 
to Rome, where he was patronized by Julia, 
the wife of the Emperor Severus, She in- 
trusted him with some papers referring to 
Apollonius, whose life he wrote. This biog- 
raphy is written with elegance, but contains 
many exaggerated descriptions and improb- 
able stories. 

Philoxenus. Of Cythera, one of the most distin- 
guished dithyrambic poets of Greece, was 
born b. c. 435 and died 380. He spent part 
of his life at Syracuse, where he was cast 
into prison by Dionysius, because he had 
told the tyrant, when asked to revise one 
of his poems, that the best way of correcting 
it would be to draw a black line through the 
whole paper. Only a few fragments of his 
poems have come down to us. 

Phineus. A son of Agenor, king of Phoenicia, 
or, according to some, a son of Neptune, 
who became king of Thrace. He married 
• Cleopatra (called by some Cleobula), the 
daughter of Boreas, their children being 
Plexippus and Pandion. After the death of 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



229 



Cleopatra he married Idaea, the daughter 
of Dardanus, who, jealous of Cleopatra's 
children, accused them of an attempt on 
their father's life, and they were condemned 
by Phineus to have their eyes put out. This 
cruelty was punished by the gods, Phineus 
being made blind, and the Harpies were sent 
by Jupiter to keep him in continual alarm. 
He recovered his sight by means of the 
Argonauts, whom he received with great 
hospitality. 

Phlegethon. A river in the infernal regions, 
between the banks of which flames of fire 
flowed instead of water. 

Phocion. An Athenian celebrated for his public 
and private virtue. He was distinguished for 
his zeal for the general good, and for his mili- 
tary abilities. The fickleness of the Atheni- 
ans, however, caused them to lose sight of 
his virtues, and, being accused of treason, 
he was condemned to drink poison, which he 
took with the greatest heroism. His death 
occurred about 318 years before the Chris- 
tian era. 

Phocis. A country in Northern Greece. 
Phoebus (The Bright or Pure). An epithet of 
Apollo. 

Phoenice. A country of Asia, on the coast of 
Syria. 

Phoenix. Son of Amyntor, king of Argos, and 
Cleobule or Hippodamia. He was preceptor 
to Achilles. He accompanied his pupil to the 



230 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Trojan war, and Achilles was ever grateful 
for the precepts he had received from him. 
After the fall of Troy he died in Thrace, and, 
according to Strabo, was buried near Tra- 
chinia, where his name was given to a 
river. 

Phrixus. A son of Athamas, king of Theh>es, 
and Nephele. On the plea of insanity, 
Nephele was repudiated by Athamas, who 
then married Ino, who persecuted Phrixus 
with inveterate hatred, because he was to 
succeed to the throne in preference to one of 
her own children. Being apprised that Ino 
had designs on his life, he started with his 
sister Helle to go to Aeetes, king of Colchis. 
According to the poets they mounted on a ram, 
whose fleece was gold, which soared into the 
air, directing its course to Colchis. Helle 
became giddy, and, falling into the sea (after- 
ward called the Hellespont), was drowned. 
Phrixus arrived at the court of Aeetes, whose 
daughter Chalciope he married. Some time 
afterward he was killed by his father-in-law. 
The murder of Phrixus gave rise to the fa- 
mous Argonautic expedition under Jason, 
the object being to recover the Golden Fleece, 
which Jason succeeded in obtaining. 

Phrygia. A country of Asia Minor. 

Phryne. A beautiful woman who lived at Athens 
about 328 years before the Christian era. She 
was beloved by Praxiteles, who painted her 
portrait. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



231 



Phyllis. A daughter of Sithon, or, according to 
other writers, of Lycurgus, king of Thrace. 
She received Demophoon, who landed on her 
coasts on his return from the Trojan war, and 
fell in love with him, and he reciprocated her 
affection; but afterward proving faithless, 
Phyllis hanged herself, and, according to an 
old tradition, was changed into an almond 
tree. 

Picumnus and Pilumnus. Two gods of matrimony 
in the rustic religion of the ancient Romans. 

Picus. King of Latium, son of Saturn, who mar- 
ried Venilia. As he was hunting he was met 
by Circe, who became enamored of him. 
She changed him into a woodpecker. 

Pierides. A name given to the Muses, because 
they were born in Pieria, or, as some say, be- 
cause they were supposed to be the daughters 
of Pierus, a king of Macedonia, who settled 
in Boeotia. 

Pindarus. A celebrated lyric poet of Thebes. 
When he was young it is said that a swarm of 
bees settled on his lips and left on them some 
honey, which was regarded as a prognostic 
of his future greatness. He commenced his 
career as a poet at an early age, and was 
soon employed by diff erent states and princes 
in all parts of the Hellenic world to compose 
for them choral songs for special occasions. 
He continued to preserve to his latest days 
the respect of all parts of Greece. After 
his death great respect was shown to his 



232 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



memory, and a statue was erected in his 
honor in one of the most public places in 
Thebes. Pindar is said to have died at 
the age of eighty-six, b. c. 435. Of his 
works, the odes only are extant: they are 
admired for sublimity of sentiment and 
grandeur of expression. 

Piraeus. A celebrated harbor at Athens about 
three miles from the city. It was joined to 
the town by two walls, one built by Pericles, 
and the other by Themistocles. 

Pirene. A celebrated fountain at Corinth, at 
which Bellerophon is said to have caught the 
horse Pegasus. 

Pirithous. Son of Ixion and Dia, the daughter 
of Deioneus. He was king of the Lapithae, 
and wished to become acquainted with The- 
seus, king of Athens, of whose fame and ex- 
ploits he had heard. They became cordial 
friends. Pirithous married Hippodamia, and 
invited the Centaurs to attend his nuptials, 
where, having become intoxicated, they be- 
haved with great rudeness, on which they 
were attacked and overcome by Theseus, 
Pirithous, Hercules, and the rest of the Lapi- 
thae. Many of the Centaurs were slain, and 
the rest saved their lives by flight. 

Pisander. A commander in the Spartan fleet dur- 
ing the Peloponnesian war. He was greatly 
opposed to democracy at Athens. He was 
killed in a naval battle near Cnidus, 
B. c. 394. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



233 



Pisistratus. A celebrated Athenian who dis- 
tinguished himself by valor in the field and by 
eloquence at home. He obtained a body- 
guard of fifty men to defend his person, and 
having thus got a number of armed men on 
whom he could rely, he seized the citadel of 
Athens, and soon made himself absolute. 
After this a conspiracy was formed against 
him, and he was banished from the city. He 
soon, however, re-established himself in 
power, and married the daughter of Megacles, 
one of his greatest enemies, and whom he 
afterward repudiated. On this his popularity 
waned and he fled from Athens, but after an 
absence of eleven years he returned, and was 
received by the people with acclamation. He 
died about 527 years before the Christian 
era. 

Piso. A celebrated family at Rome, eleven of 
whom had obtained the consulship, and some 
of whom had been honored with triumphs 
for their victories. Of this family the most 
famous were: Lucius Calfiurmus, who was 
tribune of the people about 149 years before 
Christ, and afterward consul. He gained 
honor as an orator, a statesman, and a his- 
torian. Caius, another of the family, distin- 
guished himself during his consulship by his 
firmness in resisting the tumults raised by the 
tribunes and the clamors of the people. 
Cneius, who was consul under Augustus, 
rendered himself odious by his cruelty. He 



234 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

was accused of poisoning Germanicus, and, 
being shunned by his friends, destined him- 
self. Lucius, a governor of Spain, who was 
assassinated by a peasant. Lucius, a gov- 
ernor of Rome for twenty years, during which 
time he discharged his duties with modera- 
tion and justice. Caius, who was at the head 
of a conspiracy against Nero. He committed 
suicide by venesection. 

Pistor (The Baker). A surname of Jupiter at 
Rome, because when the Gauls were besieg- 
ing Rome he suggested to the besieged the 
idea of throwing loaves of bread among the 
enemies, to make them believe that the Ro- 
mans had plenty of provisions. 

Pittacus. A native of Mitylene in Lesbos, and 
one of the seven wise men of Greece. He 
died in the eighty-second year of his age, 
about 570 years before Christ, the latter part 
of his life being spent in retirement. Many 
of his maxims were inscribed on the walls of 
Apollo's temple at Delphi, to show how high 
an opinion his countrymen entertained of his 
. abilities as a moralist and philosopher. 

Plancius, Cn. He was defended by Cicero b. c. 
54, in an oration still extant, when he was 
accused of having practiced bribery in order 
to gain his election as curule aedile. 

Plancus, L. Munatius. A Roman conspicuous 
for his follies and extravagance. He had 
been consul, and had presided over a prov- 
ince, but he forgot his dignity and became 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



235 



one of the most servile flatterers of Antony 
and Cleopatra. 

Plataea. A town of Boeotia, near Mount Citheron, 
celebrated as the scene of a battle between 
Mardonius, the general of Xerxes, king of 
Persia, and Pausanias, who commanded the 
Athenians. The Persians were defeated with 
great slaughter. 

Plato. A celebrated philosopher of Athens. He 
was educated carefully, his mind being culti- 
vated by the study of poetry and geometry, 
while his body was invigorated by the prac- 
tice of gymnastics. He began his literary 
career by writing poetry and tragedies. At 
the age of twenty he was introduced to Socra- 
tes, with whom he was for some time -a pupil. 
After traveling in various countries he re- 
tired to the neighborhood of Athens, where 
his lectures were attended by a crowd of 
learned, noble, and illustrious pupils. He 
died on his birthday in the eighty-first year 
of his age, about 348 years before the Christian 
era. His writing were so celebrated, and his 
opinions so highly regarded, that he was 
called the Divine. 

Plautus, M. Accius. A dramatic poet born in 
Umbria. He wrote twenty-five comedies, 
of which only nineteen are extant. He 
died about 184 years before the Christian 
era. 

Pleiades. A name given to seven daughters of 
Atlas and Pleione. They were placed after 



236 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



deatli in the heavens, and formed a constel- 
lation. 

Pleione. A daughter of Oceanus, and mother of 
the Pleiades by Atlas. 

Flinius, C. Secundus (the Elder). He was born 
at Verona, of a noble family. He distin- 
guished himself in the field, and was ap- 
pointed governor of Spain. When at Mise- 
num in command of the Roman fleet, Pliny 
observed the appearance of a cloud of dust 
and ashes, which was the commencement of 
the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius which 
overwhelmed Herculaneum and Pompeii. 
He sailed for the scene of the eruption, 
where he was suffocated by the vapors 
emitted. This occurred in the seventy-ninth 
year of the Christian era. 

Plinius, C. Caecilius Secundus (the Younger 
Pliny). Son of L. Caecilius by the sister 
of Pliny the Elder. At the age of nine- 
teen he distinguised himself at the bar. 
When Trajan was invested with the purple 
Pliny was created consul He died in the 
fifty-second year of his age, a. d. 113. Pliny 
had much to do with the persecutions of the 
Christians in the early promulgation of the 
Christian religion. The Rev. James Copland, 
M. A., in an admirable little work entitled 
Reasons Why We Believe the Bible, gives a 
very interesting letter from Pliny to the em- 
peror Trajan, asking instructions how to deal 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



237 



with the Christians when they were cited to 
appear before him. 
Plisthenes. Son of Atreus, and husband of 
Aerope or Eriphyle, by whom he became 
the father of Agamemnon, Menelaus, and 
Anaxibia. 

Plotina, Pompeia. The wife of the emperor 
Trajan, who persuaded her husband to adopt 
Hadrian. 

Plutarchus. The celebrated biographer, was born 
at Chaeronea, his father being distinguished 
for his learning and virtues. After traveling 
in quest of knowledge, he retired to Rome, 
where he opened a school. Subsequently he 
removed to Chaeronea, where he died at an 
advanced age about the 140th year of the 
Christian era. His most esteemed work is 
the Lives of Illust7'ious Men. 

Pluto. Son of Saturn and Ops, who inherited his 
father's kingdom with his brothers, Jupiter 
and Neptune. He received as his portion 
the kingdom of the infernal regions, of death, 
and funerals. He seized Proserpine as she 
was gathering flowers, and, carrying her 
away on his chariot, she became his wife and 
queen of the infernal regions. 

Plutus. The god of riches, the son of Jason, or 
Jasius, and Ceres. 

Pluvius (The Sender of Ram). A surname of 
Jupiter among the Romans, to whom sacri- 
fices were offered during long-protracted 
droughts. 



238 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Polias ( The Goddess Protecting the City). A 
surname of Athena at Athens, where she 
was worshipped as the protecting divinity of 
the Acropolis. 

Pollio, C. Asinius. A Roman consul in the reign 
of Augustus who distinguished himself 
equally by his eloquence and exploits in war. 
He wrote a history and some tragedies, and 
died in his eightieth year, a. d. 4. 

Pollux. A son of Jupiter and Leda, brother to 
Castor. 

Polybius. A native of Megalopolis, born about 
b. c. 204. He distinguished himself by his 
valor against the Romans in Macedonia. 
He wrote a universal history in Greek, and 
died about b. c. 124. 

Polybus. King of Corinth, by whom Oedipus 
was brought up. 

Polycletus. One of the celebrated statuaries of 
the ancient world. He was also a sculptor, 
an architect, and an artist in toreutic. He 
was somewhat younger than Phidias, and 
flourished about b. c. 452-412. Phidias was 
unsurpassed in making the images of the 
gods, Polycletus in those of men. 

Polycrates. Tyrant of Samos, and one of the 
most powerful of all the Greek tyrants. 

Polydectes. A son of Magnes, king of Seriphos. 
He received with kindness Danae and her 
son Perseus, who had been exposed on the 
sea. Polydectes was turned into stone by 
being shown Medusa's head by Perseus. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



239 



Polyhymnia. One of the Muses, daughter of 
Jupiter and Mnemosyne. She presided over 
singing and rhetoric. 

Polynices. A son of Oedipus, king of Thebes, 
and Jocasta. He inherited his father's 
throne with his brother Eteocles, and it was 
agreed that they should reign a year alter- 
nately. Eteocles first ascended the throne, 
but refused to resign the crown. Polynices 
upon this fled to Argos, where he married 
Argia, the daughter of Adrastus, the king of 
the country, and levied an army with which 
he marched on Thebes. The battle was 
decided by a combat between the brothers, 
who killed each other. 

Polyphemus. A celebrated Cyclops, son of 
Neptune and Thoosa, the daughter of 
Phorcys. He is represented as a monster 
with one eye in the middle of his forehead. 
Ulysses was his captive, but escaped by 
putting a fire-brand in the monster's eye. 

Polyxena. Daughter of Priam and Hecuba, 
who was beloved by Achilles. When the 
Greeks, on their voyage home, were still 
lingering on the coast of Thrace, the shade 
of Achilles appeared to them, demanding 
that Polyxena should be sacrificed to him. 
Neoptolemus accordingly slew her on the 
tomb of his father. 

Pomona. A nymph at Rome, who was supposed 
to preside over gardens and to be the goddess 
of fruit trees. 



240 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Pompeii or Pompeium. A town of Campania. 
It was partly destroyed by an earthquake 
a. d. 63, and sixteen years afterward it was 
overwhelmed by ashes and lava from an 
eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum, 
in its vicinity, shared the same fate. 

Pompeius, Cneius. Son of Pompeius Strabo 
and Lucilia, surnamed Magnus from his 
exploits. In the contentions which existed 
between Marius and Sylla, Pompey linked 
himself with the latter. Subsequently he 
united his interest with that of Caesar and 
Crassus, thus forming the first triumvirate. 
A breach soon occurred, and at the great bat- 
tle of Pharsalia, where the forces of Caesar 
and Pompey met, the latter was totally de- 
feated, and fled to Egypt, where he was 
assassinated in the fifty-eighth year of his 
age, b. c. 48. He left two sons, Cneius and 
Sextus, who at their father's death were 
masters of a powerful army with which they 
opposed Caesar, but were defeated at the 
battle of Munda, where Cneius was slain. 
Sextus escaped, and was put to death by 
Antony about b. c. 35. 

Pontus Euxinus, or simply Pontus (The .Black 
Sea). The great inland sea inclosed by Asia 
Minor on the south, Colchis on the east, 
Sarmatia on the north, and Dacia and Thracia 
on the west, and having no other outlet than 
the narrow Bosporus Thracius in its south- 
west corner. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



241 



Porcia. A daughter of Cato of Utica, who mar- 
ried Bibulus, and after his death Brutus. 
She was distinguished for her prudence and 
courage. After her husband's death she 
killed herself by swallowing burning coals. 
She is said to have given herself a severe 
wound to show that she could bear pain. 
Shakespeare alludes to this in Julius Caesar, 
act ii., scene 1, where he makes her exclaim, 
to show her heroism: 

" I have made strong proof of my constancy, 
Giving myself a voluntary wound 
Here, in the thigh." 

Porsenna or Porsena. A king of Etruria, who 
declared war against the Romans because 
they refused to restore Tarquin to the throne. 
He was prevented from entering the gates of 
Rome by the valor of P. Horatius Codes, 
who at the head of a bridge kept back Por- 
senna's army, while the bridge was being cut 
down by the Romans to prevent the entry of 
their enemies into the city. Eventually Por- 
senna abandoned the cause of Tarquin. 
Lord Macaulay, in his fine poem Horatius, 
represents two other heroes, Spurius Lar- 
tius and Herminms, as keeping the bridge 
on either hand of Horatius Codes. 

Portunus or Portumnus. The protecting genius 
of harbors among the Romans. 

Praxiteles. A famous sculptor of Greece, who 
lived about 324 years before the Christian 
era. The most famous of his works was a 



242 lOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Cupid, which he gave to Phryiie. He exe- 
cuted a statue of Phryne, and also one of 
Venus. 

Priamides. A son of Priam, by which name 
Hector, Paris, Helenus, Deiphobus, and 
the other sons of Priam are frequently 
called. 

Priamus. The last king of Troy, the son of 
Laomedon, by Strymo, called Placia by some 
writers. He married Arisba, whom he di- 
vorced in order to marry Hecuba, by whom 
he had a number of children, the most cele- 
brated of whom were Hector, Paris, Dei- 
phobus, Helenus, Laodice, and Cassandra. 
After he had reigned some time Priam was 
anxious to recover his sister Hesione, who 
had been carried into Greece by Hercules, 
and to achieve this he manned a fleet, the 
command of which he gave to his son Paris, 
who, instead of obeying the paternal instruc- 
tions, carried away Helen, the wife of Mene- 
laus, king of Sparta. This caused the Trojan 
war, which lasted for ten years. At the end 
of the war Priam was slain by Neoptolemus, 
the son of Achilles. 

Probus, M, Aurelius. A native of Pannonia. 
His father was a gardener, who became a 
military tribune. His son obtained the same 
office on the twenty-second year of his age, 
and distinguished himself so much by his 
probity and valor that he was invested with 
the imperial purple. He encouraged the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



243 



arts, and by his victories added to the glory 
of his country. He was slain by his soldiers 
in the fiftieth year of his age, b. c. 282. 

Proclus. One of the most celebrated teachers of 
the Neo-Platonic school, was born at Byzan- 
tium a. d. 412, and died a. d. 485. He laid 
claim to the possession of miraculous power, 
and his philosophical system is characterized 
by vagueness and mysticism. Several of his 
works are still extant. 

Procopius. Born of a noble family in Cilicia, 
and related to the emperor Julian. He 
signalized himself under Julian, and after- 
ward retired to the Thracian Chersonesus, 
whence he made his appearance at Constan- 
tinople, and proclaimed himself master of 
the Eastern Empire. He was defeated in 
Phrygia, and beheaded a. d. 366. There 
was a famous Greek historian of the same 
name, who wrote the history of the reign 
of Justinian, and who was secretary to 
Belisarius. 

Procrustes {The Stretcher). A surname of the 
famous robber Polypemon or Damastes. 
He used to tie all travelers who fell into his 
hands upon a bed ; if they were shorter than 
the bed, he stretched their limbs till they 
were of the same length ; if they were longer 
than the bed, he made them of the same size 
by cutting off some of their limbs. He was 
slain by Theseus. 

Proetus. Son of Abas and Ocalea, and twin- 



244 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



brother of Acrisius. In the dispute between 
the two brothers for the kingdom of Argos, 
Proetus was expelled, whereupon he fled to 
Iobates in Lycia, and married Antea or 
Stheneboea, the daughter of the latter. 
With the assistance of Iobates, Proetus 
returned to his native land, and Acrisius gave 
him a share of his kingdom, surrendering 
to him Tiryns, Midea, and the coast of 
Argolis. 

Prometheus. A son of Iapetus and Clymene, 
one of the Oceanides. He ridiculed the gods 
and deceived Jupiter himself, who, to punish 
him and the rest of mankind, took fire away 
from the earth ; but Prometheus climbed the 
heavens by the assistance of Minerva, and 
stole fire from the chariot of the sun, which 
he brought down to the earth. This pro- 
voked Jupiter, and he ordered Prometheus 
to be chained to a rock, where a vulture was 
to feed on his liver, which was never ex- 
hausted. He was delivered from his torture 
by Hercules, who killed the vulture. 

Propertius, Sextus Aurelius. A Latin poet 
born in Umbria. He came to Rome, where 
his genius greatly recommended him to the 
great and powerful. His works consist of 
four books of elegies, which are marked by 
much ability. He died about nineteen years 
before Christ. 

Propontis (Sea of Marmora). So called from 
its position with reference to the Pontus 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



245 



(Euxinus), being " before the Pontus," is the 
small sea uniting the Euxine and the 
Aegean, and dividing Europe (Thracia) from 
Asia (Mysia and Bithynia). 

Proserpina. A daughter of Ceres and Jupiter, 
called by the Greeks Persephone. As she 
was gathering flowers Pluto carried her off to 
the infernal regions, where he married her. 
Ceres, having learnt that her daughter had 
been carried away by Pluto, demanded of 
Jupiter that Pluto should be punished. As 
queen of hell, Proserpine presided over the 
death of mankind. She was known by the 
names of Hecate, Juno Inferna, Libitina, and 
several others. 

Protagoras. A Greek philosopher of Abdera in 
Thrace. He wrote a book in which he denied 
the existence of a Supreme Being, which book 
was publicly burnt at Athens, and its author 
was banished from the city. 

Protesilaus. A king of part of Thessaly who 
married Laodamia, and shortly afterward 
went to the Trojan war. He was the first of 
the Greeks who entered the Trojan domain, 
and on that account, in accordance with the 
prediction of the oracle, was killed by his 
countrymen. 

Proteus. A sea deity, son of Oceanus and 
Tethys, or, according to some writers, of 
Neptune and Phenice. He had received the 
gift of prophecy from Neptune, but when 
consulted he often refused to give answers, 



246 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

and puzzled those who consulted him by as- 
suming different shapes. 
Psyche. A nymph who married Cupid. Venus 
put her to death because of this, but Jupiter, 
at the request of Cupid, granted immortality 
to her. 

Ptolemaeus. The name of several kings of 
Egypt. Ptolemy First, son of Arsinoe and 
Lagus. He was educated in the court of the 
king of Macedonia, and when Alexander in- 
vaded Asia, Ptolemy attended him. After 
Alexander's death Ptolemy obtained the gov- 
ernment of Egypt, where he gained the es- 
teem of the people by acts of kindness. He 
made himself master of Phoenicia and Syria, 
and rendered assistance to the people of 
Rhodes against their enemies, for which he re- 
ceived the name of Soter. He laid the foun- 
dation of a library, which became the most 
celebrated in the world. He died in his eighty- 
fourth year, about 284 years b. c. He was 
succeeded by his son Ptolemy Philadelphns , 
who showed himself to be a worthy successor 
of his father. His palace was an asylum for 
learned men, and he greatly increased the 
library his father had founded. Ptolemy 
Third succeeded his father Philadelphus on 
the Egyptian throne. He conquered Syria 
and Cilicia, and returned home laden with 
spoils. He was, like his predecessors, a 
patron of learning and the arts. Ptolemy 
Fourth, called Philopater, succeeded to the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



247 



throne, his reign being marked by acts of 
cruelty and oppression. He died in his 
thirty-seventh year, after a reign of seven- 
teen years, 204 b. c% Numerous members 
of this celebrated family in succession occu- 
pied the throne, not, however, approaching 
to the greatness of the founders of the 
family. 

Ptolemaeus, Claudius, A celebrated geographer 
and astronomer in the reign of Hadrian and 
Antoninus. He was a native of Alexandria, 
or as some say, of Pelusium. In his system 
of the world, designated the Ptolemaic sys- 
tem, he places the earth in the center of the 
universe, which was generally received as 
correct till it was confuted by Copernicus. 

Publicola. A surname, signifying a friend of the 
common people, acquired by Publius Valerius. 
He assisted Brutus to expel the Tarquins, and 
won the victory in the battle in which Brutus 
and the sons of Tarquin had fallen. He was 
four times consul, but died in poverty, and 
was buried at the public expense amid gen- 
eral mourning. 

Publilius, Volero. Tribune of the plebs, b. c. 472, 
and again 471, effected an important change 
in the Roman constitution. In virtue of the 
laws which he proposed, the tribunes of the 
plebs and the aediles were elected by the 
comitia tributa, instead of by the comitia 
centuriata, as had previously been the case, 
and the tribes obtained the power of 



248 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

deliberating and determining in all matters 

affecting the whole nation, and not such only 

as concerned the plebs. 
Pudicitia. A personification of modesty, was 

worshipped both in Greece and at Rome. 
Puteolanum. A country house of Cicero near 

Puteoli, where he wrote his Quaestiones 

Academicae, and where the emperor Hadrian 

was buried. 

Puteolanus Sinus {Bay of Naples). A bay of 
the sea on the coast of Campania between 
the promontory Misenum and the promon- 
tory of Minerva, which was originally called 
Cumanus. 

Pygmalion. King of Cyprus. He is said to have 
fallen in love with the ivory image of a 
maiden which he himself had made, and to 
have prayed to Aphrodite (Venus) to breathe 
life into it. When the request was granted, 
Pygmalion married the maiden, and became 
by her the father of Paphus. 

Pylae. A general name for any narrow pass, 
such as Thermopylae, Pylae Albaniae, 
Caspiae, etc. 

Pyrene or Pyrenaei Montes {Pyrenees). A range 
of mountains extending from the Atlantic to 
the Mediterranean, and forming the boundary 
between Gaul and Spain. 

Pyrrho. The founder of the Skeptical or Pyrrho- 
nian school of philosophy. 

Pyrrhus. A famous king of Epirus, son of 
Aeacides and Phthia. He wrote several 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



249 



books on encampments and the ways of 
training an army. He fought against the 
Romans with much valor, and they passed 
encomiums on his great military skill. He was 
killed in an attack on Argos, by a tile thrown 
on his head from a housetop. 
Pyrrhus. See Neoptolemus. 

Pythagoras. A celebrated philosopher born at 
Sam oS. He first made himself known in 
Greece at the Olympic games, where, when 
he was eighteen years old, he obtained the 
prize for wrestling. He also distinguished 
himself by his discoveries in geometry, as- 
tronomy, and mathematics. He was the first 
who supported the doctrine of metempsycho- 
sis, or transmigration of the soul into different 
bodies. He believed that the universe was 
created from a shapeless mass of passive mat- 
ter by the hands of a powerful Being, who was 
the mover and soul of the world, and of whose 
substance the souls of mankind were a portion. 
The time and place of death of this great 
philosopher are unknown, but some suppose 
that he died at Metapontum about 497 years 
before Christ. 

Python. A celebrated serpent sprung from the 
mud and stagnated waters which remained 
on the surface of the earth after the deluge 
of Deucalion. Apollo killed the monster. 

Quadrifrons. A surname of Janus. It is said 
that after the conquest of the Faliscans an 



250 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



image of Janus was found with four fore- 
heads. Hence a temple of Janus Quadrifrons 
was afterwards built in the Forum transi- 
torium, which had four gates. The fact of 
the god being represented with four heads 
is considered by the ancients to be an indica- 
tion of his being the divinity presiding over 
the year with its four seasons. 

Quintilianus, Marcus Fabius. A celebrated 
rhetorician, born in Spain. He opened a 
school of rhetoric at Rome, and was the first 
who obtained a salary from the state as a 
public teacher. He died a. d. 95. 

Quintus Curtius Rufus. A Latin historian sup- 
posed to have lived in the reign of Vespasian. 
He wrote a history of the reign of Alexander 
the Great. This work is admired for the 
elegance of its diction. 

Quirinus. A Sabine word, perhaps derived from 
quiris, a lance or spear. It occurs first of all 
as the name of Romulus, after he had been 
raised to the rank of a divinity ; and the 
festival celebrated in his honor bore the 
name of Qiiirinalia. 

Ramses. The name of many kings of Egypt of 
the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth 
dynasties. 

Ravenna. An important town in Gallia Cisal- 

pina, on the river Bedesis. 
Regillus. A small lake in Latium, famous as 

being the scene of a great Roman victory, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



which forms the subject of a fine poem by 
Lord Macaulay, called The Battle of the 
Lake Regillus, included in his Lays of An- 
cient Rome. 

Regulus, M. Attilius. A consul during the first 
Punic war. He reduced Brundusium, and in 
his second consulship he captured a great por- 
tion of the Carthaginian fleet. After further 
successes he was taken prisoner by the Car- 
thaginians, who put him to death with refined 
tortures. 

Remi or Rhemi. One of the most powerful peo- 
ple in Gallia Belgica. 

Rha ( Volga). A great river of Asia. 

Rhadamanthus. A son of Jupiter and Europa. 
He reigned in the Cyclades, where his rule 
was characterized by marked justice and im- 
partiality. 

Rhea. An ancient Greek goddess, who appears 
to have been a goddess of the earth. In Rome 
the Galli were her priests. The lion was 
sacred to her. In works of art she is usually 
represented seated on a throne, adorned with 
a mural crown, from which a veil hangs 
down. Lions appear crouching on the right 
and left of her throne, and sometimes she is 
seen riding in a chariot drawn by lions. 

Rhenus (Rhein in German, Rhine in English). 
One of the great rivers in Europe, forming 
in ancient times the boundary between Gaul 
and Germany, rises in Mount Adulas (St. Go- 
thard), not far from the sources of the Rhone, 



252 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Rhodanus {Rhone). One of the chief rivers of 
Gaul, rises in Mount Adulas, on the Pen- 
nine Alps, not far from the sources of the 
Rhine. 

Rhodus (Rhodos or Rhodes). The most easterly 
island of the Aegaean, or, more specifically, 
of the Carpathian Sea. 

Robigus or Robigo. Described by some Latin 
writers as a divinity worshipped for the pur- 
pose of averting blight or too great heat from 
the young cornfields. 

Roma (Rome). The capital of Italy and of the 
world, was situated on the left bank of the 
river Tiber, on the northwest confines of 
Latium, about sixteen miles from the sea. 
Rome is said to have been a colony from Alba 
Longa, and to have been founded by Romu- 
lus about b. c. 753. 

Romulus. According to tradition the founder of 
Rome. He was a son of Mars and Ilia, and 
was twin brother of Remus. The twins were 
thrown into the Tiber, but were saved and 
suckled by a she-wolf till they were found by 
Faustulus, a shepherd, who brought them up. 
Disputes arising between the brothers in 
reference to the building of the city, Romu- 
lus caused Remus to be slain. 

Rubicon. A small river in Italy. By crossing 
it, and thus transgressing the boundaries of 
his province, Caesar declared war against the 
senate and Pompey. ■ ' Passing the Rubicon " 
has become a proverbial expression, indicat- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



253 



ing an irrevocable step taken in any weighty 
matter. 

Rudiae (Rotigliano or Ruge). A town of the 
Peucetii in Apulia. Rudiae is celebrated as 
the birthplace of Ennius. 

Rullus, P. Servilius. A tribune of the plebs b. c. 
63, who proposed an agrarian law, which 
Cicero attacked in three orations, which have 
come down to us. 

Sabini. One of the most ancient and powerful 
of the peoples of Central Italy. The Sabines 
formed one of the elements of which the 
Roman people was composed. In the time 
of Romulus a portion of the Sabines, after 
the rape of their wives and daughters, be- 
came incorporated with the Romans, and 
the two peoples were united into one under 
the general name of Quirites. 

Sacra Via. An important street in Rome, 
where a treaty of peace was made between 
Romulus and Tatius. 

Sais (Sa-el-Hajjar, Ru.). A great city of 
Egypt. It was the ancient capital of Lower 
Egypt, and contained the palace and burial 
place of the Pharaohs, as well as the tomb of 
Osiris. 

Salacia. The female divinity of the sea among 
the Romans, and the wife of Neptune. 

Salamis. An island of Attica celebrated for a 
battle fought there between the fleets of the 



254 !0°0 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Greeks and Persians, in which the latter 
suffered defeat. 

Sallustius, Crispus. A celebrated Latin his- 
torian. He wrote a history of the Catilinian 
conspiracy, and died thirty-five years before 
the Christian era. 

Salus. A Roman goddess, the personification 
of health, prosperity, and the public welfare. 

Samos or Samus (Greek Samo, Turkish Susam 
Adas si). One of the principal islands of the 
Aegean Sea. 

Samosata (Someisaf). The capital of the 
province, and afterwards kingdom, of Com- 
magene. It is celebrated in literary history 
as the birthplace of Lucian. Nothing re- 
mains of it but a heap of ruins. 

Sancus, Sangus, or Semo Sancus. A Roman 
divinity, said to have been originally a Sabine 
god. The name, which is etymologically the 
same as Sanctus, and connected with Sancire, 
seems to justify this belief, and characterizes 
Sancus as a divinity presiding over oaths. 

Sapor. A king of Persia, who succeeded to the 
throne about the 238th year of the Christian 
era. He wished to increase his dominions by 
conquest, but was defeated by Odenatus, 
who defeated his army with great slaughter. 
He was assassinated a. d. 273. 

Sapor. The second king of Persia of that name. 
He fought against the Romans, and obtained 
several victories over them. Died a. d. 380. 

Sappho. Celebrated for her beauty and poetical 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



255 



talents, was born at Lesbos about 600 years 
before Christ. She became enamored of 
Phaon, a youth of Mitylene ; but he not re- 
ciprocating her passion, she threw herself into 
the sea from the rock of Leucadia. Moore 
alludes to her fatal leap in his Evenings in 
Greece : 

" The very spot where Sappho sung 
Her swan-like music, ere she sprung 
(Still holding in that fearful leap, 
By her loved lyre) into the deep, 
And, dying, quenched the fatal fire, 
At once, of both her heart and lyre." 

Sardanapalus. The last king of Assyria, cele- 
brated for his luxury and indolence. His 
effeminacy induced his subjects to conspire 
against him with success, on which he set fire 
to his palace and perished in the flames, b. c. 
820. Lord Byron has made his history the 
subject of a tragedy, in which he introduces 
as the heroine Myrrha, a Greek slave, who 
sets fire to a pile of inflammable materials 
which had been raised, and perished with 
Sardanapalus, exclaiming as she applies the 
torch : 
" Lo! 

I've lit the lamp which lights us to the stars." 

The play of Sardanapalus is still occasionally 

produced on the stage. 
Sardinia (Sardi : Sardinia). A large island in 

the Mediterranean. 
Sardis or Sardes (Sardiani : Sart, Ru.). One of 



256 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

the most ancient and famous cities of Asia 
Minor, and the capital of the great Lydian 
monarchy. 

Saturninus, L. Appuleius. The celebrated dema- 
gogue, who was quaestor b. c. 104, and trib- 
une of the plebs for the first time in 102. He 
proposed several popular measures, such as a 
Lex Fruinentaria, and a law for founding new 
colonies in Sicily, Achaia, and Macedonia. 

Saturnius. A name given to a son of Saturnus, 
and accordingly used as a surname of Jupiter, 
Neptune, and Pluto. For the same reason 
the name of Saturnia is given both to Juno 
and Vesta. 

Saturnus. The son of Coelus, or Uranus, by 
Terra. It was customary to offer human vic- 
tims on his altars till this custom was abol- 
ished by Hercules. He is generally repre- 
sented as an old man bent with age, and 
holding a scythe in his right hand. 

Satyri. Demigods whose origin is unknown. 
They had the feet and legs of a goat, their 
body bearing the human form. 

Saxones. A powerful people in Germany, who 
originally dwelt in the southern part of the 
Cimbric Chersonesus, between the rivers 
Albis {Elbe) and Chalusus (Trave). 

Scaevola, Mutius {surnamed Cordus). He was 
famous for his courage, and attempted to 
assassinate Porsenna, but was seized ; to 
show his fortitude when confronted with 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



257 



Porsentia, he thrust his hand into the fire, on 

which the king pardoned him. 
Scandia or Scandinavia. The name given by 

the ancients to Norway, Sweden, and the 

surrounding islands. 
Scapte Hyle or Scaptesyle. A small town on 

the coast of Thrace, opposite the island of 

Thasos. It was celebrated for its gold mines. 

Thucydides here arranged the materials for 

his history. 

Sceleratus Campus. A place in Rome, close to 
the Porta Collina, where vestals who had 
broken their vows were entombed alive. 

Scipio. The name of a celebrated family at 
Rome, the most conspicuous of which was 
Publius Cornelius, afterward called Afri- 
canus. He was the son of Publius Scipio, and 
commanded an army against the Carthagini- 
ans. After obtaining some victories, he en- 
countered Hannibal at the famous battle of 
Zama, in which he obtained a decisive vic- 
tory. He died about 184 years before Christ, 
in his forty-eighth year. 

Scipio, Lucius Cornelius (surnamed Asiaticiis). 
He accompanied his brother Africanus in his 
expedition in Africa. He was made consul 
a. 'u. c. 562, and sent to attack Antiochus, 
king of Syria, whom he completely routed. 
He was accused of receiving bribes of Anti- 
ochus, and was condemned to pay large fines, 
which reduced him to poverty. 

Scipio, P. Aemilianus. Called Africanus the 



258 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



younger. He finished the war with Carthage, 
the total submission of which occurred b. c. 
147. The captive city was set on fire, and 
Scipio is said to have wept bitterly over the 
melancholy scene. On his return to Rome he 
was appointed to conclude the war against 
Numantia, the fall of which soon occurred, 
and Scipio had Numantinus added to his 
name. He was found dead in his bed, and 
was presumed to have been strangled, b. c. 
128. 

Scoti. A people mentioned, together with the 
Picti, by the later Roman writers as one of 
the chief tribes of the ancient Caledonians. 
They dwelt in the south of Scotland and in 
Ireland ; and from them the former country 
has derived its name. 

Scylla and Charybdis. The names of two rocks 
between Italy and Sicily. In the one nearest 
to Italy was a cave, in which dwelt Scylla, 
a daughter of Crataeis, a fearful monster, 
barking like a dog, with twelve feet, and 
six long necks and heads, each of which 
contained three rows of sharp teeth. The 
opposite rock, which was much lower, con- 
tained an immense fig tree, under which 
dwelt Charybdis, who thrice every day swal- 
lowed down the waters of the»sea, and thrice 
threw them up again. 

Scymnus. A native of Chios, who wrote a Peri- 
egesis, or description of the earth, in prose, 
and which is consequently different from the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



259 



Periegesis in Iambic meter which has come 
down to us. 

Scyros (Scyrd). An island in the Aegean Sea, 
east of Euboea, and one of the Sporades. 
Here Thetis concealed her son Achilles in 
woman's attire among the daughters of 
Lycomedes, and here also Pyrrhus, the son 
of Achilles by Deidamia, was brought up. 

Semele. A daughter of Cadmus, and Hermione, 
the daughter of Mars and Venus. She was 
the mother of Bacchus. After death she was 
made immortal under the name of Thyone. 

Semiramis. A celebrated queen of Assyria, who 
married the governor of Nineveh, and at his 
death she became the wife of King Ninus. 
She caused many improvements to be effected 
in her kingdom , as well as distinguishing her- 
self as a warrior. She is supposed to nave 
lived b. c. 1965. 

Seneca, L. Annaeus. He was distinguished by 
his talents at an early period of his life. He 
became preceptor to Nero, in which capacity 
he gained general approbation. The tyrant, 
however, determined to put him to death, and 
he chose to have his veins opened in a hot 
bath, but, death not ensuing, he swallowed 
poison, and was eventually suffocated by the 
soldiers who were in attendance. This oc- 
curred in his fifty-third year, and in the sixty- 
fifth of the Christian era. His works, which 
were numerous, were chiefly on moral sub- 
jects. 



260 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Sepias (5/. George). A promontory in the south- 
east of Thessaly, in the district Magnesia, 
on which a great part of the fleet of Xerxes 
was wrecked. 

Sequani. A powerful Celtic people in Gallia 
Belgica, inhabiting the country since called 
Franche Compte and Burgiaidy. 

Sertorius. A native of Nursia, a Sabine village, 
one of the most extraordinary men in the 
later times of the republic. He served under 
Marius, and subsequently became quaestor. 
In b. c. 83 he was made praetor, and the fol- 
lowing year went to Spain and became the 
leader of the Lusitanians, and for several 
years resisted all the armies of Rome, though 
led by such generals as Metellus and Pompey. 
Sertorius was murdered by his own officers 
in b. c. 72. 

Sesostris. A celebrated king of Egypt, who 
lived long prior to the Trojan war. He was 
ambitious of military fame, and achieved 
many conquests. On his return from his vic- 
tories he employed himself in encouraging 
the fine arts. He destroyed himself after a 
reign of forty-four years. 

Sestus (lalova). A town in Thrace, situated 
at the narrowest part of the Hellespont, 
opposite Abydos in Asia, from which it 
was only seven stadia distant. It was 
founded by the Aeolians. It was cele- 
brated in Grecian poetry on account of the 
loves of Leander and Hero, and in history 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



26l 



on account of the bridge of boats which 
Xerxes here built across the Hellespont. 

Severus, Lucius Septimius. A Roman emperor, 
born in Africa, noticeable for his ambition. 
He invaded Britain, and built a wall in the 
north as a check to the incursions of the Cale- 
donians. He died at York in the 211th year 
of the Christian era. 

Severus, M. Aurelius Alexander. A Roman 
emperor who reigned a. d. 222-235, the 
son of Gessius Marcianus and Julia Mamaea, 
and first cousin of Elagabalus, born at 
Arce, in Phoenicia, the 1st of October, 
a. o. 205. In 221 he was adopted by Elagab- 
alus, and made Caesar ; and on the death 
of Elagabalus, on the nth of March, a. d. 
222, Alexander ascended the throne. Alex- 
ander Severus was distinguished by justice, 
wisdom, and clemency in all public trans- 
actions, and by the simplicity and purity of 
his private life. 

Sextius or Sestius, P. Quaestor in b. c. 63, and 
tribune of the plebs in 57. He was defended 
by Cicero in an oration still extant, and was 
acquitted on the 14th of March, chiefly in 
consequence of the powerful influence of 
Pompey. 

Sibyllae. The name by which several prophetic 
women are designated. The .first Sibyl, 
from whom all the rest are said to have 
derived their name, is called a daughter of 
Dardanus and Neso. Some authors men- 



262 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

tion only four Sibyls, but it was more com- 
monly believed that there were ten. The 
most celebrated of them is the Cumaean. 

Sicilia {Sicily). One of the largest islands in the 
Mediterranean Sea. 

Sidon. (O. T. Tsidon, or, in the English form, 
Zidon: Saida, Ru.). One of the most an- 
cient of the cities of Phoenice and for a 
long time the most powerful. 

Silenus. A demigod who is represented gener- 
ally as a fat old man riding on an ass, with 
flowers crowning his head. 

Silvanus. A Latin divinity of the fields and 
forests. He is also called the protector of 
the boundaries of fields. 

Silvius. The son of Ascanius, who is said to have 
been so called because he was born in a 
wood. All the succeeding kings of Alba 
bore the cognomen Silvius. 

Simonides. A celebrated poet of Cos, who lived 
538 b. c. He wrote elegies, epigrams, and 
dramatic pieces, esteemed for their beauty. 

Sinon. Son of Aesimus, or, according to Vergil 
(Ae?t. ii. 79), of Sisyphus, and grandson of 
Autolycus, was a relation of Ulysses, whom 
he accompanied to Troy. He allowed him- 
self to be taken prisoner by the Trojans, and 
then persuaded them to admit into their city 
a wooden horse filled with armed men, which 
the Greeks had constructed as a pretended 
atonement for the Palladium. The Trojans 
believed the deceiver, and dragged the horse. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



263 



into the city ; whereupon Sinon in the dead 
of night let the Greeks out of the horse, who 
thus took Troy. 
Siphnus (Siftkno). An island in the Aegean Sea, 
forming one of the Cyclades. The moral 
character of the Siphnians stood low, and 
hence to act like a Siphnian became a term 
of reproach. 

Sirenes {The Sirens). They lured to destruction 
those who listened to their songs. When 
Ulysses sailed past their island he stopped the 
ears of his companions with wax, and had 
himself tied to the mast of his ship. Thus he 
passed with safety, and the Sirens, disap- 
pointed of their prey, drowned themselves. 

Sisyphus. Son of Aeolus and Enaretta. After 
death he was condemned, in the infernal re- 
gions, to roll a stone to the summit of a hill, 
which always rolled back, and rendered his 
punishment eternal. 

Smyrna or Zmyrna {Smyrna, Turkish Izmir). 
One of the most ancient and flourishing 
cities of Asia Minor, and the only one of the 
great cities on its west coast which has 
survived to this day. 

Socrates. The most celebrated philosopher of 
antiquity, born near Athens, whose virtues 
rendered his name venerated. His indepen- 
dence of spirit created for him many enemies, 
and he was accused of making innovations in 
the religion of the Greeks. He was con- 
demned to death by drinking hemlock, and 



264 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



expired a few moments after imbibing the 
poison, in his seventieth year, b. c. 400. His 
wife was Xanthippe, remarkable for her 
shrewish disposition, for which her name has 
become proverbial. 
Solon. One of the wise men of Greece, who was 
born at Salamis and educated at Athens. 
After traveling over Greece he returned, and 
was elected archon and sovereign legislator, 
in which capacity he effected numerous re- 
forms in the state, binding the Athenians by 
a solemn oath tc observe the laws he enacted 
for one hundred years. After this he visited 
Egypt, and on returning to Athens after ten 
years' absence he found most of his regula- 
tions disregarded by his countrymen. On this 
he retired to Cyprus, where he died in his 
eightieth year, 558 years before the Christian 
era. 

Somnus. Son of Nox and Erebus, who was one of 
the infernal deities, and presided over sleep. 

Sophocles. A celebrated tragic poet of Athens. 
He was distinguished also as a statesman, 
and exercised the office of archon with credit 
and honor. He wrote for the stage, and ob- 
tained the poetical prize on twenty different 
occasions. He was the rival of Euripides for 
public applause, each having his admirers. 
He died at the age of ninety-one, 406 years 
before Christ. 

Sophonisba. A daughter of Hasdrubal, the 
Carthaginian, celebrated for her beauty. She 




See page 248. 

Pudicitia. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



married Syphax, prince of Numidia, and 
when he was conquered by the Romans she 
became a captive to their ally, the Numidian 
general Masinissa, whom she married. This 
displeased the Romans, and Scipio ordered 
Masinissa to separate from Sophonisba, and 
she, urged to this by Masinissa, took poison, 
about b. c. 203. 

Sospita {The Saving Goddess). A surname of 
Juno at Lanuvium and at Rome, in both of 
which places she had a temple. 

Sozomen. A historian who died 450 a. d. He 
wrote an important work on ecclesiastical 
history. 

Sparta. The capital of Laconia and the chief 
city of Peloponnesus, was situated on the 
right bank of the Eurotas (frz), about twenty 
miles from the sea. It stood on a plain 
which contained within it several rising 
grounds and hills. 

Spartacus. A Thracian, by birth who was suc- 
cessively a shepherd, a soldier, and a chief 
of banditti. On one of his predatory expe- 
ditions he was taken prisoner, and sold to 
a trainer of gladiators. In 73 he was a 
member of the company of Lentulus, and was 
detained in his school at Capua, in readiness 
for the games at Rome. He persuaded his 
fellow-prisoners to make an attempt to 
gain their freedom. About seventy of them 
broke out of the school of Lentulus, and took 
refuge in the crater of Vesuvius, Spartacus 



266 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

was chosen leader, and was soon joined by 
a number of runaway slaves. They were 
blockaded by C. Cladius Pulcher at the 
head of three thousand men, but Spartacus 
attacked the besiegers and put them to 
flight. His numbers rapidly increased, and 
for two years (b. c. 73-71) he defeated one 
Roman army after another, and laid waste 
Italy from the foot of the Alps to the south- 
ernmost corner of the peninsula. After both 
the consuls of 72 had been defeated by Spar- 
tacus, M. Licinus Crassus, the praetor, was 
appointed to the command of the war, which 
he terminated by a decisive battle near the 
river Silarus, in which Spartacus was defeated 
and slain. 

Sparti {The Sown-Men). The name given to 
the armed men who sprang from the dragon's 
teeth sown by Cadmus. 

Spartianus, Aelius. One of the Script ores Hz's- 
toriae Angnstae, who lived in the time of 
Diocletian and Constantine, and wrote the 
biographies of several emperors. 

Spes. The personification of Hope, was wor- 
shipped at Rome, where she had several 
temples. The Greeks also worshipped the 
personification of Hope, Elpis. Hope was 
represented in works of art as a youthful 
figure, lightly walking in full attire, holding 
in her right hand a flower, and with the left 
lifting up her garment. 

Sphinx. A monster, having the head and breasts 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



267 



of a woman, the body of a dog, the tail of a 
serpent, the wings of a bird, and the paws of 
a lion. The Sphinx was sent into the neigh- 
borhood. of Thebes by Juno, and here she pro- 
pounded enigmas, devouring those who were 
unable to solve them. One of the riddles pro- 
posed was : What animal walked on four legs 
in the morning, two at noon, and three in the 
evening? Oedipus solved it, giving as the 
meaning : A man, who when an infant 
crawled on his hands and feet, walking erect 
in manhood, and in the evening of life sup- 
porting himself with a stick. On hearing 
the solution the Sphinx destroyed herself. 

Sporades. A group of scattered islands in the 
Aegean Sea, off the island of Crete and the 
western coast of Asia Minor, so called in 
opposition to the Cyclades, which lay in a 
circle around Delos. 

Spurinna Vestritius. The haruspex who warned 
Caesar to beware of the Ides of March. 

Stabiae {Castell a Mare di Stadia). An ancient 
town in Campania between Pompeii and 
Surrentum, which was destroyed by Sulla 
in the Social war, but which continued to 
exist down to the great eruption of Vesuvius 
in a. d. 79, when it was overwhelmed with 
Pompeii and Herculaneum. It was at Stabiae 
that the elder Pliny perished. 

Stagira. A town on the borders of Macedonia, 
where Aristo.tle was born; hence he is called 
the Stagirite. 



2 68 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Statius, P. Papinius. A poet, born at Naples 
in the reign of Domitian. He was the author 
of two epic poems, the Thebais in twelve 
books, and the Achilleis in two books. 

Stator. A Roman surname of Jupiter, describ- 
ing him as staying the Romans in their flight 
from an enemy, and generally as preserving 
the existing order of things. 

Stentor. One of the Greeks who went to the 
Trojan war. He was noted for the loudness 
of his voice, and from him the term "sten- 
torian " has become proverbial. 

Stephanus. The author of the geographical 
lexicon, entitled Ethuica, of which, unfor- 
tunately, we possess only an epitome. 

Stesichorus. A celebrated Greek poet, of Hi- 
mera, in Sicily. Stesichorus was one of the 
nine chiefs of lyric poetry recognized by 
the ancients. He stands, with Alcman, at 
the head of one branch of the lyric art, the 
choral poetry of the Dorians. 

Stobi. A town of Macedonia, and the most 
important place in the district Paeonia. 

Stoici. A celebrated sect of philosophers founded 
by Zeno. They preferred virtue to all other 
things, and regarded everything opposed to 
it as an evil. 

Strabo. A celebrated geographer, born at 
Amasia, on the borders of Cappadocia. He 
flourished in the age of Augustus. His work 
on geography consists of seventeen books, 
and is admired for its purity of diction. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



269 



Strophades Insulae. Two islands in the Ionian 
Sea, formerly called Plotae {Strofadia and 
Strivali). The Harpies were pursued to 
these islands by the sons of Boreas ; and it 
was from the circumstance of the latter 
returning from these islands after the pur- 
suit that they are supposed to have obtained 
the name of Strophades. 

Stymphalus. A town in the northeast of 
Arcadia. The town itself was situated on 
a mountain of the same name, and on the 
north side of the lake Stymphalis (Zaraka), 
on which dwelt, according to tradition, the 
celebrated birds, called Stymphalides, de- 
stroyed by Hercules. 

Styx. A celebrated river of the infernal regions. 
The gods held it in such veneration that they 
always swore by it, the oath being inviolable. 

Suada. The Roman personification of persuasion. 

Sublicius Pons. The oldest of the bridges at 
Rome, said to have been built by Ancus 
Martius. 

Suessa Aurunca (Sessa). A town of the Aurunci 
in Latium, east of the Via Appia, between 
Minturnae and Teanum, on the western slope 
of Mount Massicus. It was the birthplace 
of the poet Lucilius. 

Suetonius, C. Tranquillus. A Latin historian 
who became secretarv to Hadrian. His best 
known work is his Lives of the Caesars. 

Sulla. See Sylla. 

Sulmo {Sulmona). A town of the Peligni in the 



270 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



country of the Sabines, celebrated as the 
birthplace of Ovid. 

Summanus. A derivative form from summus, 
the highest, an ancient Roman or Etruscan 
divinity, who was of equal or even of higher 
rank than Jupiter. As Jupiter was the god of 
heaven in the bright day, so Summanus was 
the god of the nocturnal heaven, and hurled 
his thunderbolts during the night. 

Susarion. A native of Megara, to whom the 
origin of the Attic Comedy is ascribed. 

Sybaris. A town on the bay of Tarentum. Its 
inhabitants were distinguished by their 
love of ease and pleasure, hence the term 
Sybarite. 

Sylla (or Sulla), L. Cornelius. A celebrated 
Roman, of a noble family, who rendered him- 
self conspicuous in military affairs, and be- 
came antagonistic to Marius. In the zenith 
of his .power he was guilty of the greatest 
cruelty. His character is that of an ambi- 
tious, tyrannical, and resolute commander. 
He died about seventy years before Christ, 
aged sixty. 

Symmachus, Q. Aurelius. A distinguished 
scholar, statesman, and orator in the latter 
half of the fourth century of the Christian 
era, remarkable for his zeal in upholding the 
ancient pagan religion of Rome. 

Syphax. A king of the Masaesyllii in Numidia, 
who married Sophonisba, the daughter of 
Hasdrubal. He joined the Carthaginians 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



271 



against the Romans, and was taken by Scipio 
as a prisoner to Rome, where he died in 
prison. 

Syracusae (Siracusa in Italian, Syracuse in 
English). The wealthiest and most populous 
town in Sicily, situated on the southern part 
of the eastern coast, four hundred stadia 
north of the promontory Plemmyrium, and 
ten stadia northeast of the mouth of the 
river Anapus, near the lake or marsh called 
Syraco, from which it derived its name. 
There were several stone quarries (lautu- 
mzae) in Syracuse, which are frequently men- 
tioned by ancient writers, and in which the un- 
fortunate Athenian prisoners were confined. 
On one side of these quarries is the remark- 
able excavation called the Ear of Dionysius, 
in which it is said that this tyrant confined 
the persons whom he suspected, and that 
he was able, from a little apartment above, 
to overhear the conversation of his captives. 

Syria (in Aramaean Surja : Son's t an t Arab. 
Esk-Sham, i. e., the land on the left, Syria). 
A country of western Asia, lying along the 
eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, be- 
tween Asia Minor and Egypt. 

Syrinx. An Arcadian nymph, who being pur- 
sued by Pan fled into the river Ladon, and at 
her own prayer was metamorphosed into a 
reed, of which Pan then made his flute. 



Tacitus, C. Cornelius. A celebrated Latin his- 



27? 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

torian, born in the reign of Nero. Of all his 
works the Annals is the most extensive and 
complete. His style is marked by force, pre- 
cision, and dignity, and his Latin is remark- 
able for being pure and classical. 

Tacitus, M. Claudius. A Roman, elected em- 
peror by the Senate when he was seventy 
years of age. He displayed military vigor, 
and as a ruler was a pattern of economy and 
moderation. He died in the 276th year of 
the Christian era. 

Tamesis or Tamesa {Thames). A river in 
Britain, on which stood Londinium, flowing 
into the sea on the eastern coast. Caesar 
crossed the Thames probably at Cowey 
Stakes, seven or eight miles above Kingston, 
but Horsley seems to be of opinion that he 
forded it near that town. 

Tantalus. A king of Lydia, father of Niobe and 
Pelops. He is represented by the poets as be- 
ing, in the infernal regions, placed in a pool 
of water, which receded from him whenever 
he attempted to drink, thus causing him to 
suffer perpetual thirst ; hence the origin of 
the term " tantalizing." 

Tarentum, called Taras. An important city in 
Italy (called Tar ant by the Greeks), situated 
on the western coast of the peninsula of Cala- 
bria, and on a bay of the sea, about one hun- 
dred stadia in circuit, forming an excellent 
harbor, and being a portion of the great gulf 
of Tarentum. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



2 73 



Tarpeia. Daughter of Sp. Tarpeius, the gov- 
ernor of the Roman citadel on the Saturnian 
hill, afterwards called the Gapitoline, who was 
tempted by the gold on the Sabine bracelets 
and collars to open a gate of the fortress to 
T. Tatius and his Sabines. As they entered, 
they threw upon her their shields, and thus 
crushed her to death. The Tarpeian rock, 
a part of the Capitoline, was named after her. 

Tarquinius Priscus. The fifth king of Rome, and 
son of Demaratus, a native of Greece. He 
exhibited military talents in the victories he 
gained over the Sabines. During peace he 
devoted attention to the improvement of the 
capital. He was assassinated in his eightieth 
year, b. c 578. 

Tarquinius Superbus. He ascended the throne 
of Rome after Servius Tullius, whom he mur- 
dered, and married his daughter Tullia. His 
reign was characterized by tyranny, and 
eventually he was expelled from Rome ; sur- 
viving his disgrace for fourteen years,, and 
dying in his ninetieth year. 

Tartarus. One of the regions of hell, where, ac- 
cording to Vergil, the souls of those who were 
exceptionally depraved were punished. 

Taygete. Daughter of Atlas and Pleione, one of 
the Pleiades, from whom Mount Taygetus in 
Laconia is said to have derived its name. 
By Zeus (Jupiter) she became the mother of 
Lacedaemon and of Eurotas. 

Telemachus. Son of Penelope and Ulysses. At 



274 



1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



the end of the Trojan war he went in search 
of his father, whom, with the aid of Minerva, 
he found. Aided by Ulysses he delivered his 
mother from the suitors that beset her. 

Tempe. A valley in Thessaly through which 
the river Peneus flows into the Aegean. It 
is described by the poets as one of the most 
delightful places in the world. 

Tenedos or Tenedus. A small island of the 
Aegean Sea, off the coast of Troas. It 
appears in the legend of the Trojan war as 
the station to which the Greeks withdrew 
their fleet in order to induce the Trojans to 
think that they had departed, and to receive 
the wooden horse. In the Persian war it was 
used by Xerxes as a naval station. 

Terentia. Wife of M. Cicero, the orator, to 
whom she bore two children, a son and a 
daughter. She was a woman of sound sense 
and great resolution ; and her firmness of 
character was of no small service to her weak 
and vacillating husband in some important 
periods of his life. 

Terentius, Publius, or Terence. A native of 
Africa, celebrated for the comedies he wrote. 
He was twenty-five years old when his first 
play was produced on the Roman stage. Ter- 
ence is admired for the purity of his language 
and the elegance of his diction. He is sup- 
posed to have been drowned in a storm about 
b. c. 159. 

Terminus. A Roman divinity, presiding over 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



275 



boundaries and frontiers. His worship is 
said to have been instituted by Numa, who 
ordered that everyone should mark the 
boundaries of his landed property by stones 
consecrated to Jupiter, and at these boundary- 
stones every year, sacrifices should be offered 
at the festival of the Terminalia. The 
Terminus of the Roman state originally 
stood between the fifth and sixth milestone 
on the road towards Laurentum, near a place 
called Festi. Another public Terminus stood 
in the temple of Jupiter in the Capitol. 

Terpander. The father of Greek music, and 
through it of lyric poetry. He established 
the first musical school or system that existed 
in Greece, and added three strings to the lyre, 
which before his time had only four. 

Terpsichore. One of the Muses, daughter of 
Jupiter and Mnemosyne. She presided over 
dancing. 

Tertullianus, J. Septimius Florens. A cele- 
brated Christian writer of Carthage, who 
lived a. d. 196. He was originally a pagan, 
but embraced Christianity, of which faith he 
became an able advocate. 

Thais. A celebrated woman of Athens, who ac- 
companied Alexander the Great in his Asiatic 
conquests. She is alluded to by Dryden in 
his famous ode, Alexander 's Feast : 

lk The lovely Thais by his side 
Sate like a blooming Eastern bride 
In flower of youth and beauty's pride." 



276 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Thales. One of the seven wise men of Greece, 
born at Miletus in Ionia. His discoveries in 
astronomy were great, and he was the first 
who calculated with accuracy a solar eclipse. 
He died about 548 years before the Christian 
era. 

Thalia. One of the Muses who presided over 
festivals and comic poetry. 

Thalassius, Talassius, or Talassio. A Roman 
senator of the time of Romulus. At the time 
of the rape of the Sabine women, when a 
maiden of surpassing beauty was carried off 
for Thalassius, the persons conducting her, 
in order to protect her against any assaults 
from others, exclaimed, " For Thalassius." 
Hence, it is said, arose the wedding shout 
with which a bride at Rome was conducted 
to the house of her bridegroom. 

Thamyris or Thamyras. An ancient Thracian 
bard, who was a son of Philammon and the 
nymph Argiope. In his presumption he 
challenged the Muses to a trial of skill, and, 
being overcome in the contest, was deprived 
by them of his sight and of the power of 
singing. He was represented with a broken 
lyre in his hand. 

Theb^e {Great City of Jove). The capital of 
Thebais or Upper Egypt, and for a long time 
of the whole country. The Egyptians be- 
lieved it to have been the first city founded 
upon the earth ; and we have no account at 
the present day of any of earlier origin, 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 277 

Thebae {in Europe). The chief city in Boeotia. 
It is said that the fortifications of the city 
were constructed by Amphion and his brother 
Zethus ; and that, when Amphion played his 
lyre, the stones moved of their own accord, 
and formed the wall. No city is more cele- 
brated in the mythical ages of Greece than 
Thebes. It was here that the use of letters 
was first introduced from Phoenicia into 
western Europe. It was the reputed birth- 
place of the two great divinities Dionysus 
(Bacchus) and Hercules. It was also the 
native city of the seer Tiresias, as well as of 
the great musician Amphion. It was the 
scene of the tragic fate of Oedipus, and of 
the war of the Seven against Thebes. 

Themis. Daughter of Uranus and Ge, who was 
married to Zeus (Jupiter), and by whom she 
became the mother of the Horae, Eunomia, 
Dice (Astraea), Irene, and of the Moerae. 
In the Homeric poems Themis is the personi- 
fication of the order of things established 
by law, custom, and equity, whence she is 
described as reigning in the assemblies of 
men, and as convening, by the command of 
Zeus, the assembly of the gods. 

Themistocles. A celebrated general born at 
Athens. When Xerxes invaded Greece, 
Themistocles was intrusted with the care of 
the fleet, and at the famous battle of Salamis, 
fought b. c. 480, the Greeks, instigated to fight 
by Themistocles, obtained a complete victory 



278 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

over the formidable navy of Xerxes. He died 
in the sixty-fifth year of his age, having, as 
some writers affirm, poisoned himself by 
drinking bull's blood. 
Theocritus. A Greek poet who lived at Syracuse 
in Sicily b. c. 2S2. He distinguished himself 
by his poetical compositions, of which some 
are extant. 

Theodosius, Flavius. A Roman emperor sur- 
named Magnus from the greatness of his 
exploits. The first years of his reign were 
marked by conquests over the Barbarians. 
In his private character Theodosius was an 
example of temperance. He died in his six- 
tieth year, a. d. 395, after a reign of sixteen 
years. 

Theodosius Second. He became emperor of the 
Western Roman empire at an early age. 
His territories were invaded by the Persians, 
but on his appearance at the head of a large 
force they fled, losing a great number of 
their army in the Euphrates. Theodosius 
was a warm advocate of the Christian re- 
ligion. He died aged forty-nine, a. d. 450. 

Theognis. An elegiac and gnomic poet of 
Megara, who is said to have flourished about 
b. c. 548. His poetry is distinguished for ele- 
gance of style and force of expression. 

Theophrastus. A native of Lesbos. Diogenes 
enumerates the titles of more than two hun- 
dred treatises which he wrote. He died in 
his 107th year, b. c. 288. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



279 



Therapnae. A town in Laconia, on the left bank 
of the Eurotas and a little above Sparta, 
celebrated in mythology as the birthplace of 
Castor and Pollux. Menelaus and Helen 
were said to be buried here. 

Thermopylae. A narrow pass leading from 
Thessaly into Locris and Phocis, celebrated 
for a battle fought there, b. c. 480, between 
Xerxes and the Greeks, in which three hun- 
dred Spartans, commanded by Leonidas, re- 
sisted for three successive days an enormous 
Persian army. Lord Byron, in his Childe 
Harold, canto ii., in an apostrophe to Greece, 
thus refers to the famous conflict : 

" Who now shall lead thy scatter'd children forth, 
And long-accustom'd bondage uncreate ? 
Not such thy sons who whilome did await, 
The hopeless warriors of a willing doom, 
In bleak Thermopylae's sepulchral strait. 
Oh ! who that gallant spirit shall resume, 
Leap from Eurotas' banks, and call thee from the tomb?" 

Thersites. A deformed Greek, in the Trojan 
war, who indulged in ridicule against Ulysses 
and others. Achilles killed him because he 
laughed at his grief for the death of Penthe- 
silea. Shakespeare, who introduces Thersites 
in his play of Troilns and Cresszda, de- 
scribes him as " a deformed and scurrilous 
Grecian." 

Theseus. King of Athens and son of Aegeus by 
Aethra, was one of the most celebrated heroes 
of antiquity. He caught the bull of Marathon 



280 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

and sacrificed it to Minerva. After this he 
went to Crete amongst the seven youths sent 
yearly by the Athenians to be devoured by the 
Minotaur, and by the aid of Ariadne he slew 
the monster. He ascended his father's throne 
b. c. 1235. Pirithous, king of the Lapithae, 
invaded his territories, but the two became 
firm friends. They descended into the infer- 
nal regions to carry off Proserpine, but their 
intentions were frustrated by Pluto. After 
remaining for some time in the infernal 
regions, Theseus returned to his kingdom to 
find the throne filled by a usurper, whom he 
vainly tried to eject. He retired to Scyros, 
where he was killed by a fall from a precipice. 

Thespis. A Greek poet of Attica, supposed to 
be the inventor of tragedy, b. c. 536. He went 
from place to place upon a cart, on which he 
gave performances. Hence the term Thes- 
pians, as applied to wandering actors. 

Thessalia. The largest division of Greece, it 
was bounded on the north by the Cambunian 
Mountains, which separated it from Mace- 
donia ; on the west by Mount Pindus, which 
separated it from Epirus ; on the east by the 
Aegean Sea ; and on the south by the Maliac 
Gulf and Mount Oeta, which separated it 
from Locris, Phocis, and Aetolia. 

Thetis. A sea deity, daughter of Nereus and 
Doris. She married Peleus, their son being 
- Achilles, whom she plunged into the Styx, 
thus rendering him invulnerable in every part 




A Roman Boxer* 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



28l 



of his body except the heel by which she 
held him. 

Thia. Daughter of Uranus and Ge, one of the 
female Titans, who became by Hyperion the 
mother of Helios (Sol), Eos (Aurora), and 
Selene (Luna)— that is, she was regarded as 
the deity from whom all light proceeded. 

Thisbe. A beautiful girl of Babylon, beloved by 
Pyramus. 

Thracia. The name, in earlier times, of the vast 
space of country bounded on the north by the 
Danube, on the south by the Propontis and the 
Aegean, on the east by the Pontus Euxinus, 
and on the west by the river Strymon and 
the easternmost of the Illyrian tribes. 

Thrasybulus. A famous general of Athens, who, 
with the help of a few associates, expelled the 
Thirty Tyrants, b. c. 401. He was sent with 
a powerful fleet to recover the Athenian 
power on the coast of Asia, and after gaining 
many advantages was killed by the people 
of Aspendus. 

Thucydides. A celebrated Greek historian born 
at Athens. He wrote a history of the events 
connected with the Peloponnesian war. He 
died at Athens in his eightieth year, b. c. 391. 

Tiberis {Tiber or Tevere), The chief river in 
Central Italy, on which stood the city of 
Rome. It is said to have been originally 
called Albula, from the whiteness of its 
waters, and to have received the name of 
Tiberis in consequence of Tiberinus, king of 



282 1000 CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Alba, having been drowned in it. Pliny 
claims that it rises in the Apennines above 
Arretium. 

Tiberius, Claudius Nero. A Roman emperor 
descended from the Claudii. In his early 
years he entertained the people with magnifi- 
cent shows and gladiatorial exhibitions, which 
made him popular. At a later period of his 
life he retired to the island of Capreae, where 
he indulged in vice and debauchery. He 
died aged seventy-eight, after a reign of 
twenty-two years. 

Tibullus, Aulus Albius. A Roman knight cele- 
brated for his poetical compositions. His 
favorite occupation was writing love-poems. 
Four books of elegies are all that remain of 
his compositions. 

Timoleon. A celebrated Corinthian, son of 
Timodemus and Demariste. When the Syra- 
cusans, oppressed with the tyranny of Diony- 
sius the Younger, solicited aid from the Cor- 
inthians, Timoleon sailed for Syracuse with a 
small fleet. He was successful in the ex- 
pedition, and Dionysius gave himself up as a 
prisoner. Timoleon died at Syracuse, amidst 
universal regret. 

Timon. A native of Athens, called the Misan- 
thrope, from his aversion to mankind. He is 
the hero of Shakespeare's play of Timon of 
Athens, in which his churlish character is 
powerfully delineated. 

Timotheus. A famous musician in the time of 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 283 

Alexander the Great. Dryden names him in 
his well-known ode, Alexander \? Feast : 

" Timotheus, placed on high 
Amid the tuneful quire, 
With flying fingers touched the lyre; 
The trembling notes ascend the sky, 
And heavenly joys inspire." 

Tiresias. A celebrated prophet of Thebes. Juno 
deprived him of sight, and to recompense 
him for the loss Jupiter bestowed on him the 
gift of prophecy. 

Tiro, M. Tullius. The freedman of Cicero, to 
whom he was an object of tender affection. 
He was not only the amanuensis of the 
orator, and his assistant in literary labor, but 
was himself an author of no mean reputation. 
It is usually believed that Tiro was the in- 
ventor of the art of shorthand writing. 

Tiryns. An ancient town in Argolis, southeast 
of Argos, and one of the most ancient in all 
Greece, it is said to have been founded by 
Proetus, the brother of Acrisius, who built 
the massive walls of the city with the help 
of the Cyclopes. Proetus was succeeded by 
Perseus ; and it was here that Hercules was 
brought up. Hence we find his mother, 
Alcmena, called Tirynthia, and the hero 
himself Tirynthius. The remains of the city 
are some of the most interesting in all 
Greece, and are, with those of Mycenae, the 
most ancient specimens of what is called 
Cyclopean architecture. 



284 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Tisiphone. One of the Furies, daughter of Nox 
and Acheron. 

Titanes {The Titans). A name given to the 
gigantic sons of Coelus and Terra. The 
most conspicuous of them are Saturn, Hype- 
- rion, Oceanus, Iapetus, Cottus, and Briareus. 

Tithonus. Son of Laomedon and Strymo, and 
brother of Priam. By the prayers of Eos 
(Aurora), who loved him, he obtained from 
the gods immortality, but not eternal youth, 
in consequence of which he completely 
shrank together in his old age ; whence a 
decrepit old man was proverbially called 
Tithonus. 

Titus Vespasianus. Son of Vespasian and Fla- 
via Domitilla, famous on account of his 
valor, particularly at the siege of Jerusalem. 
He had been distinguished for profligacy, but 
on assuming the purple he became a model 
of virtue. His death, which occasioned great 
lamentations, occurred a. d. 81, in the forty- 
first year of his age. 

Tomi or Tomis (Tomiswar or Jegni P angola). 
A town of Thrace (subsequently Moesia), 
situated on the western shore of the Euxine, 
and at a later time the capital of Scythia 
Minor. It is renowned as the place of Ovid's 
banishment. 

Tomyris. A queen of the Massagetae, by whom 
Cyrus was slain in battle, b. c. 529. 

Trajanus, M. Ulpius Crinitus. A Roman em- 
peror born at Ithaca. His services to the em- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



285 



pire recommended him to the notice of the 
emperor Nerva, who adopted him as his son, 
and invested him with the purple. The ac- 
tions of Trajan were those of a benevolent 
prince. He died in Cilicia, in August, a. d. 
117, in his sixty-fourth year, and his ashes 
were taken to Rome and deposited under a 
stately column which he had erected. 

Tribuni Plebis. Magistrates at Rome created in 
the year u. c. 261. The office of Tribune to 
the people was one of the first steps which 
led to more honorable employments. 

Triptolemus. Son of Oceanus and Terra, or, ac- 
cording to some authorities, son of Celeus, 
king of Attica, and Neaera. He was in his 
youth cured of a severe illness by Ceres, with 
whom he became a great favorite. She 
taught him agriculture, and gave him her 
chariot drawn by dragons, in which he trav- 
eled over the earth, distributing corn to the 
inhabitants. 

Triton. A sea deity, son of Neptune and Am- 
phitrite. He was very powerful, and could 
calm the sea and abate storms at his pleasure. 

Triumviri. Three magistrates appointed to gov- 
ern the Roman state with absolute power. 

Tros. King of Phrygia. The son of Erich- 
thonius and Astyoche, and grandson of Dar- 
danus. He was married to Callirrhoe, by 
whom he became the father of Ilus, Assara- 
cus, and Ganymedes. The country and 
people of Troy derived their name from him. 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



Tucca, Plotius. A friend of Horace and Vergil ; 
the latter bequeathed to him and Varius his 
unfinished works. 

Tullius, Servius. The sixth king of Rome. The 
account of the early life and death of Servius 
Tullius is full of marvels, and cannot be 
regarded as possessing any title to a real 
historical narrative. 

Tullus Hostilius. The king of Rome who suc- 
ceeded Xuma. He was of a warlike disposi- 
tion, and distinguished himself by his expe- 
dition against the people of Alba, whom he 
conquered. 

Tusculum. An ancient town in Latium, situated 
about ten miles southeast of Rome, on a 
lofty summit of the mountains which are 
called, after the town, Tusculani Montes. 

Typhoeus or Typhon. A famous giant, son of 
Tartarus and Terra, who had a hundred 
heads. He made war against the gods, and 
was put to flight by the thunderbolts of 
Jupiter, who crushed him under Mount 
Aetna. 

Tyrus. One of the greatest and most famous 
cities of the ancient world, which stood on 
the coast of Phoenice, about twenty miles 
south of Sidon It was a colony of the 
Sidonians, and is therefore called in Scripture 
the daughter of Sidon. 

Ubii. A German people, who originally dwelt 
on the right bank of the Rhine. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



287 



Ultor (The Avenger). A surname of Mars, to 
whom 'Augustus built a temple at Rome in 
the Forum, after taking vengeance upon 
the murderers of his great-uncle, Julius 
Caesar. 

Ulysses. The famous king of Ithaca, son of An- 
ticlea and Laertes (or, according to some, of 
Sisyphus). He married Penelope, daughter 
of Icarius, on which his father resigned to 
him the crown. He went to the Trojan war, 
where he was esteemed for his sagacity. On 
the conclusion of the war he embarked for 
Greece, but was exposed to numerous mis- 
fortunes on his journey. In his wanderings, 
he, with some of his companions, was seized 
by the Cyclops Polyphemus, from whom he 
made his escape. Afterward he was thrown 
on the island of Aeea, where he was exposed 
to the wiles of the enchantress Circe. Even- 
tually he was restored to his own country, 
after an absence of twenty years. The ad- 
ventures of Ulysses on his return from the 
Trojan war form the subject of Homer's 
Odyssey. 

Umbria. A district of Italy (called by the Greeks 
Ombrica) bounded on the north by Gallia 
Cisalpina, from which it was separated by 
the river Rubicon ; on the east by the 
Adriatic Sea ; on the south by the rivers 
Aesis and Nar ; and on the west by the 
Tiber. Its inhabitants, the Umbri (sing. 
Umber), called by the Greeks Umbrici, were 



288 



IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



one of the most ancient and powerful peoples 
in Central Italy. 
Urania. One of the Muses, daughter of Jupiter 
and Mnemosyne. She presided over as- 
tronomy. 

Uranus or Heaven. Sometimes called a son and 
sometimes the husband of Gaea (Earth). 

Utica. The greatest city of ancient Africa, after 
Carthage. It was the scene of the last stand 
made by the Pompeian party against Caesar, 
and of the glorious though mistaken self- 
sacrifice of the younger Cato. 

Valentinianus First. The son of Gratian, who was 
raised to the throne by his merit and valor. 
He obtained victories over the Barbarians in 
Gaul and in Africa, and punished the Quadi 
with severity. He broke a blood-vessel and 
died, a. d. 375. Immediately after his death 
his son, Valentinian the Second, was pro- 
claimed emperor, who was remarkable for 
benevolence and clemency. He was robbed 
of his throne by Maximus, but regained it by 
the aid of Theodosius, emperor of the East. 
He was strangled by one of his officers. The 
third Valentinian was made emperor in his 
youth, and on coming to maturer age he dis- 
graced himself by violence and oppression. 
He was murdered a. d. 454. 

Valerianus, Publius Licinius. A celebrated 
Roman emperor, who, on ascending the 
throne, lost the virtues he had previously pos- 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



289 



sessed. He made his son Gallienus his col- 
league in the empire. He made war against 
the Goths and Scythians. He was defeated 
in battle and made prisoner by Sapor, king 
of Persia, who put him to death by torture. 

Vargunteius. A senator, and one of Catiline's 
conspirators, who undertook, in conjunction 
with C. Cornelius, to murder Cicero in b. c. 63, 
but their plan was frustrated by information 
conveyed to Cicero through Fulvia. 

Varius Rufus, L. One of the most distinguished 
poets of the Augustan age, the companion 
and friend of Vergil and Horace. By the 
latter he is placed in the foremost rank 
among the epic bards, and Quintilian has 
pronounced that his tragedy of Thyestes 
might stand a comparison with any pro- 
duction of the Grecian stage. 

Varro. A Latin author celebrated for his great 
learning. He wrote no less than five hundred 
volumes, but all his works are lost except a 
treatise De Re Rustica, and another De Lin- 
gua Latina. He died b. c. 28, in his eighty- 
eighth year. 

Varus. A cognomen in many Roman gentes, 
signified a person who had his legs bent 
inwards. 

Varus, Quintilius. A consul in b. c. 13 who was 

subsequently appointed governor of Syria, 
where he amassed enormous wealth. After- 
wards he was made governor of Germany, 
but was defeated by the Germans under Ar- 



290 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



minius in a three-days' battle, in which tha 
Roman legions were entirely annihilated. 
Varus himself committed suicide. The em- 
peror, Augustus, who was old and infirm, 
gave way to the most violent grief, tearing 
his clothes and crying out : lt Varus, Varus, 
give me back my legions." 

Veiovis. A Roman deity, whose name is ex- 
plained by some to mean little Jupiter ; 
while others interpret it the destructive 
Jupiter, and identify him with Pluto. He 
was represented as a youthful god armed 
with arrows. 

Velitrae ( Velletri). An ancient town of the 
Volscians in Latium, but subsequently 
belonging to the Latin League. It is chiefly 
celebrated as the birthplace of the emperor 
Augustus. 

Yenti {The Winds). The master and ruler of 
all the winds is Aeolus, who resides in the 
island Aeolia; but the other gods also, 
especially Zeus (Jupiter), exercise a powei 
over them. Homer mentions by name 
Boreas (north wind), Eurus (east wind), 
JVotus (south wind), and Zephyrus (west 
wind). According to Hesiod, the beneficial 
winds — Notus, Boreas, Argestes, and Zephy- 
rus — were the sons of Astraeus and Eos ; and 
the destructive ones — such as Typhon — are 
said to be the sons of Typhoeus. 

Venus. One of the most celebrated deities of the 
ancients ; the goddess of beauty, and mother 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



29I 



of Love. She sprang from the foam of the sea, 
and was carried to heaven, where all the gods 
admired her beauty. Jupiter gave her in mar- 
riage to Vulcan, but she intrigued with some 
of the gods, and notably with Mars, their off- 
spring being Hermione, Cupid, and Anteros. 
She became enamored of Adonis, which 
caused her to abandon Olympus. Her con- 
test for the golden apple, which she gained 
against her opponents Juno and Minerva, is a 
prominent episode in mythology. She had 
numerous names applied to her, conspicuous 
among which may be named Anadyomene, 
under which cognomen she is distinguished 
in the picture by Apelles representing her as 
rising from the ocean. She was known under 
the Grecian name of Aphrodite. 
Venusia ( Venosa). An ancient town of Apulia, 
south of the river Aufidus, and near Mount 
Vultur, situated in a romantic country, and 
memorable as the birthplace of the poet 
Horace. 

Verona. An important town in Gallia Cisalpina, 
on the river Athesis. It was the birthplace 
of Catullus ; and, according to some ac- 
counts, of the elder Pliny. There are still 
many Roman remains at Verona, and among 
others an amphitheater in a good state of 
preservation. 

Verres, C. A quaestor in b. c. 82 to Cn. Papirius 
Carbo, and therefore at that period belonged 
to the Marian party ; but he afterwards went 



292 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

over to Sulla. After being legate and pro- 
quaestor of Dolabella in Cilicia, Verres 
became praetor urbanus in 74, and afterwards 
propraetor in Sicily, where he remained 
nearly three years (73-71). The extortions 
and exactions of Verres in the island have 
become notorious through the celebrated ora- 
tions of Cicero. 

Vertumnus or Vortumnus. A god who is said to 
have been an Etruscan divinity, but this story 
seems to be refuted by his genuine Roman 
name, viz.. from verto, to change. The Ro- 
mans connected Vertumnus with all occur- 
rences to which the verb verto applies, such 
as the change of seasons, purchase and sale, 
the return of rivers to their proper beds, etc. 
But in reality the god was connected only 
with the transformation of plants and their 
progress from blossom to fruit. 

Vespasianus, Titus Flavius. A Roman emperor 
of obscure descent. He began the siege of 
Jerusalem, which was continued by his son 
Titus. He died a. d. 79, in his seventieth 
year. 

Vesta. A goddess, daughter of Rhea and Saturn. 
The Palladium, a celebrated statue of Pallas, 
was supposed to be preserved within her 
sanctuary, where a fire was kept continually 
burning. 

Vestales [The VestciLS). Priestesses consecrated 
to the service of Vesta. The}- were required 
to be of good families and free from blemish 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



2 93 



and deformity. One of their chief duties was 
to see that the sacred fire of Vesta was not 
extinguished. 

Vesuvius or Vesvius. The celebrated volcanic 
mountain in Campania, rising out of the plain 
southeast of Neapolis. There are no records 
of any eruption of Vesuvius before the Chris- 
tian era, but the ancient writers were aware 
of its volcanic nature from the igneous ap- 
pearance of its rocks. On the 24th of August, 
a. d. 79, occurred the first great eruption of 
Vesuvius, which overwhelmed the cities of 
Stabiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii. It was 
in this eruption that the elder Pliny lost his 
life. Since the eruption of 1506 it has re- 
mained burning. 

Vetulonia, Vetulonium, or Vetulonii. An ancient 
city of Etruria, and one of the twelve cities 
of the Etruscan confederation. From this 
city the Romans are said to have borrowed 
the insignia of their magistrates — the fasces, 
sella curulis, and togo praetexta — as well as 
the use of the brazen trumpet in war. 

Veturius Mamurius. He is said to have been the 
armorer who made the eleven ancilia exactly 
like the one that was sent from heaven in 
\he reign of Numa. 

Victor, Sex. Aurelius. A Latin writer, who was 
born of humble parents, but rose to distinc- 
tion by his zeal in the cultivation of liter- 
ature. He is the reputed author of a work 
entitled De Caesaribus. 



294 i O°° CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

Victoria or Victorina. The mother of Victorirms, 
after whose death she was hailed as the 
mother of camps {Mater Castrorum) ; and 
coins were struck bearing her effigy. She 
transferred her power first to Marius, and 
then to Tetricus. 

Virgilius, Publius Maro. The prince of the Latin 
poets, who was born at Andes, near Mantua, 
about seventy years before Christ. He went 
to Rome, where he formed an acquaintance 
with Maecenas, and recommended himself 
to Augustus. His Bucolics was written in 
about three years, and subsequently he com- 
menced the Georgics, which is considered one 
of the most perfect of all Latin compositions. 
The Aeneid is supposed to have been under- 
taken at the request of Augustus. Vergil 
died in his fifty-first year, b. c. 19. 

Virginia. Daughter of the centurion L. Vir- 
ginius. She was slain by her father to save 
her from the violence of the decemvir, Appius 
Claudius. 

Virginius. A valiant Roman, father of Virginia. 
The story of Virginius and his ill-fated 
daughter is the subject of the well-known 
tragedy of Virginius, one of the early pro- 
ductions of J. Sheridan Knowles. It is rarely 
performed in the present day. 

Vogesus or Vosgesus ( Vosges). A range of 
mountains in Gaul, in the territory of the 
Lingones, running parallel to the Rhine, and 
separating its basin from that of the Mosella. 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



2 95 



The rivers Sequana {Seine), Arar (Sadne), 
and Mosella (Afose//e) rise in these mountains. 
Volupia or Voluptas. The personification of 
sensual pleasure among the Romans, who 
was honored with a temple near the Porta 
Romanula. 

Vopiscus. A Roman praenomen, which signified 
a twin-child who was born safe, while the 
other twin died, before birth. Like many 
other ancient Roman praenomens, it was 
afterwards used as a cognomen. 

Vulcanus. The god who presided over fire and 
who was the patron of those who worked in 
iron. According to Homer he was the son 
of Jupiter and Juno, and was so deformed 
that at his birth his mother threw him into 
the sea, where he remained nine years ; but 
other writers differ from this opinion. He 
married Venus at the instigation of Jupiter. 
He is known by the name of Mulciber. The 
Cyclopes were his attendants, and with them 
he forged the thunderbolts of Jupiter. 

Vultur. A mountain dividing Apulia and Lucania 
near Venusia, and is a branch of the Apen- 
nines. It is celebrated by Horace as one 
of the haunts of his youth. From it the 
southeast wind was called Vulturnus by the 
Romans. 

Xanthippe or Xantippe. The wife of Socrates, 
remarkable for her ill-humor and fretful dis- 
position. She was a constant torment to her 



296 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



husband, and on one occasion, after bitterly- 
reviling him, she emptied a vessel of dirty- 
water on him, on which the philosopher coolly 
remarked, " After thunder, rain generally 
falls." 

Xanthippus. Son of Ariphron and father of 
Pericles. He succeeded Themistocles as 
commander of the Athenian fleet in b. c. 479, 
and commanded the Athenians at the de- 
cisive battle of Mycale. 

Xanthus. The most famous city of Lycia, which 
stood on the western bank of the river of the 
same name, sixty stadia from its mouth. 

Xenophanes. A celebrated philosopher, who was 
a native of Colophon, and flourished between 
b. c. 540 and 500. He was also a poet, and 
considerable fragments have come down to 
us of his elegies, and of a didactic poem, 
On Nature. 

Xenophon. A celebrated Athenian, son of 
Gryllus, famous as a general, philosopher, 
and historian. He joined Cyrus the Younger 
in an expedition against Artaxerxes, king of 
Persia, and after the decisive battle of Cu- 
naxa, in which Cyrus was defeated and killed, 
the skill and bravery of Xenophon became 
conspicuous. He had to direct an army of 
ten thousand Greeks, who were now more 
than six hundred leagues from home, and in 
a country surrounded by an active enemy. 
He rose superior to all difficulties till the 
celebrated Retreat of the Ten Thousaiid was 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



297 



effected ; the Greeks returning home after a 
march of two hundred and fifteen days. 
Xenophon employed his pen in describing the 
expedition of Cyrus, in his work the Anab- 
asis. He also wrote the Cyropaedia, Mem- 
orabilia, Hellenica, etc. He died at Corinth 
in his ninetieth year, about 360 years before 
the Christian era. 

Xerxes. Son and successor of Darius on the 
throne of Persia. He entered Greece with 
an immense army, which was checked at 
Thermopylae by the valor of three hundred 
Spartans under King Leonidas, who for three 
successive days successfully opposed the 
enormous forces of Xerxes, and were at last 
slaughtered. From this period the fortunes 
of Xerxes waned. His fleet being defeated 
at Salamis, and mortified with ill-success, he 
hastened to Persia, where he gave himself up 
to debauchery, and was murdered in the 
twenty-first year of his reign, about 464 years 
before the Christian era. 

Xuthus. Son of Hellen by the nymph Orseis, 
and a brother of Dorus and Aeolus. He was 
king of Peloponnesus, and the husband of 
Creusa, the daughter of Erechtheus, by whom 
he became the father of Achaeus and Ion. 

Zagreus. A surname of the mystic Dionysus 
(Bacchus), whom Zeus (Jupiter), in the form 
of a dragon, is said to have begotten by 
Persephone (Proserpina), before she was car- 



298 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 

ried off by Pluto. He was torn to pieces by 
the Titans, and Athena (Minerva) carried his 
heart to Zeus. 
Zama. A town of Numidia, celebrated as the 
scene of the victory of Scipio over Hannibal, 
b. c. 202. 

Zela or Ziela. A city in the south of Pontus, 
not far south of Amasia. The surrounding 
district was called Zeletis or Zelitis. At 
Zela the Roman general Valerius Triarius 
was defeated by Mithridates ; but the city is 
more celebrated for another great battle, 
that in which Julius Caesar defeated Pharna- 
ces, and of which he wrote this dispatch to 
Rome : Veni ; Vidi ; Vici. 

Zelus. The personification of zeal or strife, and 
is described as the son of Pallas and Styx, 
and a brother of Nice. 

Zeno. A celebrated philosopher, the founder of 
the sect of Stoics, who was born at Citium in 
Cyprus. He opened a school in Athens, and 
soon became noticed by the great and learned. 
His life was devoted to sobriety and modera- 
tion. He died at the age of ninety-eight, 
b. c. 264. 

Zeno. A philosopher of Elea or Velia, in Italy. 
He was the disciple, or, according to some, 
the adopted son of Parmenides. Being tor- 
tured to cause him to reveal his confederates 
in a plot he had engaged in, he bit off his 
tongue that he might not betray his friends. 

Zenobia. A celebrated princess of Palmyra, the 



BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. 



wife of Odenatus. After her husband's death 
the Roman emperor Aurelian declared war 
against her. She took the field with seven 
hundred thousand men, and though at first 
successful, she was eventually conquered. 
Aurelian, when she became his prisoner, 
treated her with great humanity and con- 
sideration.* She was admired for her literary 
talents as well as her military abilities. 

Zephyrus. The personification of the west wind, 
who is described by Hesiod as a son of 
Astraeus.and Eos. 

Zetes and Calais. Sons of Boreas and Orithyia, 
frequently called the Boreadae, who are men- 
tioned among the Argonauts, and described 
as winged beings. 

Zeus. See Jupiter. 

Zeuxis. A celebrated painter born at Heraclea. 
He flourished 468 years before the Christian 
era. He painted grapes so naturally that 
the birds came to peck them on the canvas ; 
but he was disgusted with the picture be- 
cause the man in the picture who was carry- 
ing the grapes was not natural enough to 
frighten the birds. 

Zoroaster. A king of Bactria, supposed to have 
lived in the age of Ninus, king of Assyria, 
some time before the Trojan war. He ren- 
dered himself known by his deep researches 
in philosophy. . He admitted no visible object 
of devotion except fire, which he considered 
the proper emblem of a Supreme Being. He 



300 IOOO CLASSICAL CHARACTERS 



was respected by his subjects and contem- 
poraries for his abilities as a monarch, a law- 
giver, and a philosopher, and, though many 
of his doctrines may be deemed puerile, he 
had many disciples. The religion of the 
Parsees of the present day was founded by 
Zoroaster. 

Zosteria. A surname of Minerva. She had two 
' statues under that name in the city of Thebes, 
in Boeotia. The word signified girt, or armed 
for battle ; words synonymous among the 
ancients. 



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Who's Who in Mythology? 



Embarrassing, isn't it, when we run across 2he 
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had never even heard of Pallas, or Aphrodite, or 
Thalia, or Ariadne. Can you tell as many, say, as 
four different but quite familiar names of Minerva? 

Just such a book is published by the undersigned. 
The title of it is 

1000 MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS 
BRIEFLY DESCRIBED 

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